Xantech®, a leader in the field of audio/video remote control and distribution for 40 years, today announced that Product Solutions Group will be the Canadian distributor of all Xantech products starting immediately. The new Canadian distribution agreement will enable Xantech dealers all across Canada to benefit from selling superior quality products supported by a commitment to just-in-time delivery that the custom installation industry demands and deserves.

Product Solutions Group and Product Solutions West are among Canada’s leading distributors of custom installation products and have been distributing Xantech’s associated CORE Brands lines including ELAN® and Sunfire® for more than a decade, and began distributing Niles® products in 2012. According to Jim Peebles of Product Solutions West, the Product Solutions West warehouse in Calgary, Alberta and the Product Solutions Group warehouse in Guelph, Ontario will provide fast, localized support service to all Canadian Xantech dealers.

According to Paul Starkey, CORE Brands Senior Vice President of Marketing, “Product Solutions Group and Product Solutions West have both exhibited an incredible dedication to providing dealers with the best products when they need them, where they need them. With the high level of integrity, Xantech dealers can expect to receive an enhanced level of ground support that is rarely seen in the industry.“

“Xantech is undoubtedly the industry leader in IR and IR related products, and we are extremely pleased to be able to offer it to our dealers,� Peebles said today. “Through this partnership we are providing Xantech dealers with on-demand order processing and shipping, ensuring timely delivery and satisfied clients on every job.�

Paul Steele, President of Product Solutions Group, is committed to providing dealers the best support in the industry. “Carrying Xantech’s entire line of IR, AV distribution, and behind-the-scenes technology products provides a valuable benefit for dealers. We’re proud to add Xantech’s products to our catalog, joining the other CORE Brands lines we distribute including ELAN, Niles and Sunfire.�

Product Solutions Group and Product Solutions West distribute innovative custom installation products to progressive Canadian retailers and custom integrators. Formed in 1998, Product Solutions Group services Ontario and east, while Product Solutions West takes care of Manitoba and west. With over 50 years combined experience in the CE Industry, founding partners Paul Steele and Jim Peebles have come to know the difference between leading edge and bleeding edge products.

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 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®.

Some home theaters are nothing more than a flat screen TV with a couple of speakers placed randomly giving the illusion of a true surround sound experience. Then there are others, like this recently completed luxury home theater in Thousand Oaks, California, that feature only the best of the best, from personalized motorized recliners to an invisible surround sound system with Niles® legendary architectural speakers that give viewers incredible audio that is heard, but not seen.

The homeowners had one specific request for Thousand Oaks-based custom integrator Wilshire Home Entertainment, and it was that all the electronics besides the projector and screen needed to be completely hidden from view. They utilized in-wall subwoofers, a total of seven Niles in-wall and in-ceiling speakers, and hid the system components behind acoustic panels under the screen to give the owners exactly what they were looking for: an over-the-top home theater that completely engulfs the viewer into whatever they are watching.

According to Wilshire Home Entertainment’s Project Designer Bennett Bowman, “The clients were very hands-on when it came to the actual interior design of the theater. They wanted to continue the ornate décor and style of their home in the theater, without compromising the aesthetic with bulky speakers and electronic components. Every fabric, every color and every decorative item in the room was selected by the clients and our design team to create an “over the top� look and feel. The only way to deliver the sound quality they deserve without making it visible was to use Niles speakers. The painters went right over the speaker grilles like they were part of the ceiling, and that’s exactly how Niles designed them to be used.�

Wilshire Home Entertainment chose the ideal components for every aspect of the theater, installing three Niles IW2670LCR architectural speakers behind the screen and four Niles IW770FX surround channel architectural speakers in the rear and sides of the room to deliver a true seven channel audio experience. As the clients requested, the only pieces of equipment visible in the 400 square-foot home theater are the Runco® VX-22d Projector and the Stewart® CineCurve™ Screen.

The theater’s interior elements and designs were provided by Boca Raton, Florida-based Cinema Design Group International. The chairs, designed by First Impressions Theme Theatres in North Miami, Florida, are motorized recliners and include the clients’ family crest. The family crest can also be found on the remote control screen.

With unique touches like running lights, illuminated lions’ heads at the end of the chairs’ armrests and ceiling stars that fade and brighten with a push of a button, the homeowners have a theater unlike any other, one truly worthy of the title “home theater�. The equipment within the home theater also controls the audio and visual systems throughout house, which allows the client to listen to music and watch DirecTV channels in any room.

About Wilshire Home Entertainment
Wilshire Home Entertainment is a Thousand Oaks, Calif. company specializing in high-performance home entertainment and commercial audio/visual installations. Established over 55 years ago in Los Angeles, it takes pride in creating some of the most advanced, yet easy-to-use systems available–whether the project is a custom home theater, a business application or government installation. Its experienced team works with clients to develop the ideal design through a combination of experience, support, value and state-of-the-art technology. It has earned an unmatched reputation for providing the finest audio and video technology, and a level of customer service that is second to none. For more information, call 805-497-7536 or go to http://www.wilshirehe.com/.

About Niles®
California-based Niles® is recognized as The First Name in Custom Installation®. Niles 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. Niles is part of the CORE Brands 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®.

It’s not often that a company can say that they came to the aid of James Bond, but that’s exactly what NanoLumens® did recently when two of its high tech NanoFlex™ 112� displays were featured on the black carpet of an after-party for a Toronto charity screening of the 23rd James Bond film, “Skyfall.� The screening was held to benefit Dignitas International, a medical humanitarian organization dedicated to providing a quality of life with dignity for children, youth and families affected by HIV/AIDS in the developing world.

NanoLumens, the pioneering Georgia-based company that introduced the world’s first large format flexible LED display technology, provided the special event with two NanoFlex™ 112 displays that were showcased prominently on a 10-foot tower adjacent to the front entrance, and brought the black carpet to the next level of sophistication. The NanoFlex displays were used to show Skyfall’s theatrical trailer, and promotional ads for a new 007-themed cologne.

According to Chris Tampin, Key Account Executive/Designer at APG Displays, NanoLumens’ Canadian distributor, the event organizers were looking for a display setup that would make the after-party shine from the moment the guests arrived, and NanoLumens’ NanoFlex displays were the perfect choice.

“Anyone who knows anything about James Bond knows that the legendary British spy loves and relies upon the very latest in technology of all sorts in his never-ending quest to thwart evil and save the world,� said Tampin. “Knowing this, it was important that everything about this charity event reflect and amplify the high tech atmosphere of the film — and the NanoFlex displays did exactly that!

“The NanoFlex displays were chosen for the event precisely because they could be incorporated creatively into the event design. Everyone, from the event organizers to the guests, was amazed with the quality and brightness of the displays.�

“NanoFlex displays are a state-of-the-art display technology that is unlike anything else in the market today, making them the obvious choice for their after-party,� said Josh Byrd, Director of Marketing at NanoLumens. “Like the legendary Bond himself, NanoFlex displays are able to do what was previously thought to be impossible.�

Dignitas International recently hosted the advanced screening at the Scotiabank Theater in Toronto, and drew more than 350 guests, who attended the screening and ended the night at the Skyfall After-Party at The Spoke Club in downtown Toronto. The event, supported in large part by Presenting Sponsors IMAX and EON Productions, raised more than $150,000 in support of Dignitas International’s life-saving frontline care and research efforts in Africa.

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 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 named ‘Best LED Product’ of the year by Rental & Staging magazine in its 2012 INFOCOMM Product 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 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 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, noise and cost issues traditionally associated with commercial LED products.

Underscoring its commitment to maintain local inventories of products in major regions throughout North America, Stampede Presentation Products, Inc. today announced the opening of its fourth North American distribution center in Duluth, Georgia. The center will launch Stampede’s new end-user centric Unified Communications demonstration center and feature a new video conferencing technologies showroom. According to Stampede President & COO Kevin Kelly, the new center reflects the company’s commitment to keeping its extensive ProAV inventory local to dealers.

“This new distribution center will provide our dealers in the southeast and southwest with low cost, fast, and efficient shipping services,� said Kelly. “The center will also serve as our first Unified Communications demonstration center that will display the latest visual conferencing technologies available.�

In addition to the demo center and technologies showroom, the center will provide dealers with job site delivery, shipping, and logistics. The center will serve the southeast region of the United States, including dealers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, as well as a portion of the southwest territory.

The new Atlanta-area location is Stampede’s fourth center and is located at 1500 Boggs Road in Duluth, Georgia. Other centers are located in Buffalo, Phoenix and Miami. Development has already begun on new facilities that will soon open in the western region of the United States.

“Our goal is to establish additional distribution centers around the country, so we can localize product inventories and provide Stampede dealers with low cost and fast shipment deliveries, wherever they are located,� added Kelly. “We plan to keep expanding throughout the country and already have plans for the western region. Soon, every Stampede dealer in the country will have a local distribution center that will undoubtedly enhance their business.�

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,� a nearly 1,000-page catalog and companion website (www.BigBookofAV.com) that provide 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.

Following up on its introduction at CEDIA 2012, ELAN Home Systems today announced its has commenced delivering its new ELAN g! 6.0 software featuring a host of new system-wide enhancements that include an ELAN g!Mobile app for Android® devices, up to 24 music services, full door locks integration, additional driver and a new user interface architecture that allows for the easy addition of new features, user interface enhancements and integration with future platforms.

According to ELAN Senior Vice President of Marketing Paul Starkey, the delivery of the new 6.0 software, and its four new critically important feature sets, comes at a time when the ELAN g! System is gaining major sales traction in both residential and commercial market segments.

“Sales have absolutely reached a critical mass that will only continue to gain momentum as we move forward with our long-term product enhancements. In fact, sales of g! have now surpassed 10,000 systems,� he emphasized. “More and more dealers are recognizing that ELAN g! is the best integrated entertainment and control system on the market today. It’s the easiest system to demonstrate, install, enjoy and maintain in any type of residential and commercial application.�

Starkey emphasized today that dealers who sell the ELAN g! System are enjoying the business benefits of the classic 80/20 rule. “ELAN g! dealers are generating 20% higher margins while investing 20% less labor, and see 80% less callbacks and 80% fewer competing dealers bidding on key projects. It’s the ultimate ‘win-win’ for everyone — particularly for the consumer who can invest gradually in a g! system, expanding its capabilities quickly and easily over time.�

With regard to the specific features introduced today CORE Brands Director of the Control Segment Joe Lautner stressed that, “We are taking the g! System to new heights by introducing ELAN’s Android app, which adds to our Apple iOS app to offer users full mobile control from nearly every smartphone and tablet available today! With a user interface that is second to none, hardware components that feature attractive industrial design and premium build materials, and the power and expandability of our HC Home Controllers, the g! System is the most scalable and capable control system in its class.�

Lautner noted that ELAN built its new ELAN g!Mobile Android app from the ground up because dedicated apps coded for each device are very labor and time intensive to upgrade for each device, and browser-based apps are often slow to respond and offer less graphically rich features. ELAN has created an entirely new User Interface App Architecture that makes it much easier and faster to upgrade the GUI on every device with a single update instead of writing new code for each device.

Enhancing the security/access functions of the g! System, ELAN today introduced the comprehensive door locks integration. Once a certified ELAN dealer sets up the system, end-users have the ability to easily control locks from home and while away, create convenient lock groups, and set their own user pass codes. This way g! owners can manage the door locks and security for their entire home or business without consulting a technician to make changes.

ELAN g! also provides owners with a detailed history of the door locks that includes time of entry, door location, and whose pass code was used. The easy-to-use door locks interface shows up under the security tab right alongside the standard security features, so it is simple to view and access. Owners can set unique pass codes for each user, and even set new/temporary pass codes for a maid, repairman, or visiting relative.

Finally, ELAN has added more than 30 new third-party, two way drivers, expanding the system’s support for new products in HDMI video switching, security cameras, climate systems, lighting, audio receivers and sources, security and connectivity devices. With these new drivers dealers can now integrate many of the latest products from brands such as 2 Gig, Atlona, Axis, Baldwin, Denon, Geffen, Honeywell, Panasonic, Panamax/Furman, Pioneer, KwikSet, Rako Snap AV, Trane, Vantage, Vivotek, Xantech, Yale, Yamaha and more.

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. ELAN is part of the CORE Brands 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.

Latin America’s newest and most advanced subway line, São Paulo Metro Line 4, will soon be the location of the world’s largest-ever digital out-of-home installation, when Terra® Latin America installs nearly 2,000 digital displays throughout the line’s 11 stations. The centerpiece of the project will be the multi-million dollar installation of eight large-format LED displays designed and manufactured by NanoLumens®. The state-of-the-art displays will provide advertisers an unforgettable medium to reach the line’s nearly one million expected daily commuters.

According to NanoLumens Director of Marketing, Josh Byrd, the São Paulo Metro Line 4 installation is the largest project undertaken to date by the pioneering Georgia-based company that introduced the world to flexible LED displays in 2010. “São Paulo’s Metro Line 4 is full of next generation technologies, and NanoLumens is proud to provide the most dazzling digital displays in the world to give advertisers a powerful medium to share their messages. We designed seven wall-mounted 6mm pixel pitch displays, ranging from 145 inches to 224 inches diagonal, to be installed throughout the line’s stations, plus one incredible 360-degree display that is actually made up of four 173-inch curved 6mm pixel pitch displays joined end-to-end to form a cylinder that is viewable from literally every angle in the atrium of the Luz station, Line 4’s busiest station.�

NanoLumens has partnered with Brazilian digital signage engineering company NC4U (Narrowcasting For You) to oversee the installation of the eight NanoLumens LED displays. NC4U is NanoLumens’ first officially certified service and sales partner in South America.

Metro Line 4, also known as the Yellow Line or ViaQuatro, is the result of a strategic partnership between the Government of São Paulo and ViaQuatro®, a private company that has invested $450 million in the project to date, with expectations to invest a total of $2 billion over the next 30 years of operation. The line began offering service at six stations in 2011 with 14 trains, and full operation of all 11 stations and 15 additional trains is expected in 2014.

Metro Line 4 is Latin America’s first driverless subway line and points to the future of fast, efficient, autonomous public transportation in one of the world’s most populated metropolitan areas. Each train is remotely controlled by a human operator at the line’s Operational Control Center (OCC). The line features some of the world’s most advanced subway technologies, including glass partitions separating the commuter platform from the tracks that greatly reduce the risk of accidents and prevent objects from falling onto the tracks, helping to ensure timely service. The trains, which are manufactured in Korea, offer passengers a comfortable commute with a number of LCD displays, air conditioning, free passage between cars while in motion and low noise operation.

NanoLumens displays were chosen for Sao Paulo’s Yellow Line project because they 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 named ‘Best LED Product’ of the year by Rental & Staging magazine in its 2012 INFOCOMM Product 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 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.

Underscoring the impact apps are having on the entire ProAV marketplace, Stampede Presentation Products Inc., North America’s largest high value added ProAV distributor, today announced that more than 2,000 dealers have downloaded the company’s Big Book of AV app for iPhone®, iPad®, and Android® devices — an achievement made even more remarkable by the fact that the app was introduced less than two months ago, according to Stampede President & COO Kevin Kelly.

“Apps are a very big part of the future of the ProAV industry, and we’re tapping into that trend in a major way by making our industry leading 1,000 page BBOAV catalog available for download,� said Kelly.

“What’s more, at the current rate of downloads, we expect that more than half of our 11,000 dealers will have downloaded the Big Book app by the end of the year, meaning that a majority of our dealers will have access to our industry leading dealer resource, wherever they go.�

A total of 19 new manufacturer product lines have been added to the 2012 Big Book of AV catalog, including Chorus Call (Unified Communications), Christie (Commercial Displays, Micro Tiles, Projectors), Clear One (Unified Communications), DynaScan (Commercial Flat Panels and Digital Signage Solutions), Horizon Displays (Classroom, Digital Signage, and Touch Screen Solutions), IO Gear (Audio-Video Distribution, Presentation Accessories, and Digital Signage), Navitar, (Non-Lens Digital Signage) Marshall Electronics (Security Cameras, Commercial Flat Panels, Unified Communications, and Microphones), Olens (Projectors and Home Audio), Panasonic (Security Products), Peerless (Non-Mount Digital Signage and Education Products), Phoenix Audio (Commercial Audio and Unified Communications), RADVISION (Unified Communications), Room Pro (Unified Communications, Carts/Racks/Cases, and Classroom Solutions), Samsung (Commercial Flat Panels), Screen Innovations (Projection Screens), TTUFF (Digital Signage Solutions), Ultimate Support (Pro Audio), and Xantech (ATON product line).

The physical version of the 2012 Big Book of AV was introduced to Stampede’s dealers at INFOCOMM 2012, and features information on more than 7,967 products from more 90 manufacturers, making it the single largest resource guide in the entire industry. The book itself weighs more than four pounds and is just shy of 1,000 pages. What’s more, dealers will have the opportunity to custom imprint their logo on the cover of the catalog.

The 2012 catalog once again includes enhanced QuickLink® barcodes. These codes allow readers the opportunity to obtain further information about various products by scanning the codes with their smartphone, to be directed to digital information about the products on the page, either via videos about the products or a direct connection to one of Stampede’s call center representatives.

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,� a nearly 1,000-page catalog and companion website (www.BigBookofAV.com) that provide 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.

GE, a global leader in energy research and technology, last week opened its new $40 million, 200,000 square foot Markham, Ontario Grid IQ™ Global Innovation Center dedicated to promoting its next-generation energy management grid. To help bring the center to life in the most engaging, customer-friendly way possible, GE turned to Advanced, Canada’s leading AV integrator, to envision, design and install an integrated AV and IT solution that encompasses 55 rooms including a Customer Experience Center that features a jaw-dropping 58-foot Prysm LPD video wall.

According to Mark Mulford, President and CEO at Advanced, “This expansive AV and IT installation encapsulates GE’s mantra of Imagination At Work and provides an immersive media experience that is vital to convey the forward-thinking technologies GE is developing to improve the efficiency, reliability and security of the world’s electrical grids. As Canada’s premier AV and IT integration company, we are proud to be recognized by GE for our industry-leading solutions and to help GE deliver an unmatched visitor experience.�

The Customer Experience Center brings GE’s Grid IQ™ technologies to life in a visual and easy-to-understand way. Advanced utilized the Prysm video wall and several wall-mounted touchscreen displays to allow customers to explore GE’s energy technologies firsthand and enable them to discover solutions to improve and enhance their energy grids. In fact, it is the world’s largest curved Prysm video wall, measuring 58 feet wide by 7 feet tall and comprising 175 individual tiles with the thinnest seams currently possible. Incorporating today’s greenest large-format display technologies, the video wall consumes just one-tenth the power of traditional digital displays. Video processing is provided by the latest Extron Quantum™ Elite processor and a professional grade multi-zone audio system was installed to complete the media experience. The entire Customer Experience Center features Crestron automation and can be controlled through an iPad.

“GE wanted to create a one-of-a-kind experience for their customers,� said Mulford, “and we proved that Advanced, more than any other integration company, has the knowledge, experience and vision to deliver compelling and effective AV solutions. We worked directly with GE and Prysm on the concept, design and implementation of the system and utilized the newest cutting-edge AV and presentation technologies. This resulted in one of the world’s most immersive digital environments. To put it simply, there is no other system like this on Earth.�

The AV installation encompasses 54 additional rooms including executive offices, boardrooms, training rooms, meeting rooms and many more. One training room, which can be divided into two separate rooms with a motorized wall, is equipped with a SMART 70� LCD interactive display and an enterprise-grade Polycom video conferencing system, allowing simple and effective global conferencing and training sessions. The room also features several large interactive touchscreens, a projector and a fully integrated audio system.

The facility’s executive boardroom is equipped with a Crestron system that controls an NEC projector mounted on an automated projector lift, an audio conferencing system, table-mounted microphones at each seat and ceiling-mounted microphones that provide an unobtrusive solution for presenters.

Even the manufacturing floor got an AV upgrade with more than a dozen 46� LCD monitors gracing its walls to display production stats and other internal GE messaging.

The collaboration room allows individuals to work together in real-time with internal or external staff worldwide. Advanced installed a SMART interactive whiteboard, in-ceiling speakers, microphones, a video conferencing system and a projector to accommodate every type of meeting and interaction. All of the room’s AV functions can be managed through the Crestron control system on a wireless Crestron touchscreen device.

GE knows that happy, healthy employees are productive employees, so they had Advanced create a gym and fitness studio that provides a personal AV experience at each fitness station. Employees can plug in their personal iPads and iPods to listen to music or watch satellite TV or DVDs at each station. The system can direct audio to individual stations or the main loudspeakers throughout the entire gym and fitness studio.

Adding to the Global Innovation Center’s sense of community, the cafeteria serves double duty as the location for Markham’s town hall meetings. The cafeteria features a projector and five NEC LCD displays with built-in speakers to display cable programming for staff and provide video presentation capabilities for town hall meetings, while an integrated video conferencing system with two wireless microphones allows meetings to be broadcast to remote viewers.

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.

As a successful businessman, homeowner Gino LaVerghetta knows that using the most reliable, highest quality equipment can be the difference between an enjoyable experience and a frustrating one. That’s precisely why he chose Niles’® legendary loudspeakers for his new home theater and outdoor audio system, which provide audiophile quality sound whether he’s watching his favorite film or entertaining guests in the backyard.

“I’ve been in several homes with indoor/outdoor distributed audio systems, and I was always amazed at the drop in sound quality when we went outside,� LaVerghetta said. “So I asked Dave Febbraio, owner of Stuctured Home Solutions, LLC, what I should do, and he said Niles’ new GS Garden Speakers were the perfect solution. He was right! If I turn the indoor and outdoor speakers on at the same time and then walk outside, it sounds like I’m just stepping into the next room, with music that has the same power, clarity and definition as indoors. I’m especially impressed with the in-ground subwoofer because it helps deliver the full soundscape of my favorite music without putting a big box in the yard.�

The pros at Structured Home Solutions, LLC built LaVerghetta’s jealousy-inducing home theater sound system with five Niles HD Series LCR in-wall speakers and a Sunfire® HRS8 subwoofer, then continued the audio excellence outdoors with four Niles Garden Series GS4 satellite loudspeakers and a Niles GSS10 in-ground 10-inch subwoofer. With all the speakers covered by Niles’ industry-leading lifetime limited warranty, LaVerghetta knows that his system will provide years of unparalleled sound both indoors and outdoors.

LaVerghetta’s home also features the ELAN® g! Entertainment and Control System to make the audio system simple and easy to control. The g! system allows the whole family to use their iPhones, iPads, Android mobile devices, ELAN in-wall touchscreens and eight ELAN HR2 remotes to control the home’s music, TVs, Lutron® lighting, Aprilaire® HVAC, Jandy® pool and spa controls, ELK® security system and seven Panasonic® PTZ IP surveillance cameras.

According to Febbraio, the project grew exponentially after Adams saw the quality of Stuctured Home Solutions’ work and recognized the value and potential of a professionally installed home control system.

“After working for Gino for a short time and seeing the quality of the house he was building, I knew he would not settle for anything less from my company or the equipment we installed,� Febbraio said. “I knew the Niles outdoor set would be a perfect fit for the large space we needed to cover and that he would be happy with the result. These speakers compliment the 46� Sunbrite TV we installed and comprise the 16th audio zone in the house all controlled by the g! system. Keeping quality consistent and exceeding the client’s expectations allowed us to expand this project from a simple four-zone audio system to the 16-zone AV control system with fully integrated home automation that it is today.�

When considering the control possibilities, LaVerghetta recognized that in the next five to 10 years most homes of comparable size will have automation systems and extensive AV systems, so he wanted his home to be ahead of the curve. “There are so many benefits of integrated home technologies, from energy conservation to enhanced security and peace of mind, and of course being able to control it all remotely. Whatever you invest in the system you absolutely get back through savings in energy, time and hassle. I love sitting down to dinner with my family and then using my iPhone to turn on some music without getting up from the table.

“The whole system has quickly become an integral part of our home. For instance, part of my nighttime routine is using the touchscreen in my bedroom to make sure that all the lights are off or dimmed, the alarm is set, the garage is closed and all the TVs and audio systems are off. And with the ability to dim and set timers for our lights, the kids never have to wander around in the dark to find the bathroom at night. The system offers so many conveniences that I’m still finding new ways to make my home easier to use every day.�

About Niles®
California-based Niles® is recognized as The First Name in Custom Installation®. Niles 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. Niles is part of the CORE Brands 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®.

It’s difficult to imagine a place that sounds more relaxing than Hot Springs, Arkansas, which is known as “The Spa City� for its natural thermal springs. But local homeowner Brandon Adams realized that his lakefront home could be an even more stress-free environment if the house could run itself automatically — meaning that the heating, air conditioning, lighting, security and surveillance would work on their own, and be easy to adjust when necessary. After a recent installation of the incredibly powerful and simple to use ELAN g! Entertainment and Control System, this fantasy of the autonomous home is now a reality, offering him one-touch control of every major home subsystem including music and TV in every room!

First, Adams hired Taggart Architecture to design a series of pools and outdoor living areas to connect his new home with the adjacent house. His next call was to Jonesboro, Arkansas-based custom integrator Sound Concepts, which outfitted the home, including all the new living areas, with the latest in audio, video and control technology. The ELAN g! system integrates Lutron lighting and motorized window shades, an HAI security system, IP surveillance cameras, HAI thermostats, garage door controls, 11 Samsung TVs (one outdoors), 45 speakers (indoors and outdoors), and a 7.2 surround sound home theater with two Sunfire HRS12 subwoofers, an Epson projector and a Dragonfly 120� screen. It even incorporates control of the LED lighting on the home’s rooftop dome, the lakefront and in the boathouses.

According to Sound Concepts owner Ryan Heringer, “Mr. Adams’ amazing lakefront home combines the best designs, building materials and craftsmanship with the best home technologies to create a true 21st century living environment, both indoors and out. The home basically runs itself, with pre-programmed schedules for lighting, heating, cooling and the pool equipment, which he can adjust any time with just a few simple buttons on any ELAN g! interface. Simplicity and ease of use is the most important aspect of any technology, so ELAN hit the bullseye when they gave g! the same type of easy-to-understand interface that made the iPhone so popular.�

Adams uses a combination of interfaces to control his home, with easy access through the g!Mobile iPhone and iPad apps, two 10-inch ELAN in-wall touchscreens in the pool house, 13 ELAN in-wall touchscreen throughout the home and boat houses, an under-counter ELAN 10-inch touchscreen, and 10 powerful ELAN HR2 multimedia and home control remotes.

“When I’m outside it’s very convenient to use my iPhone to control the music, the lights and the pool,� Adams said, “but when I’m in the house I almost always use a touch panel or one of the ELAN remotes because they are always on, so it’s easier and faster. The remotes are absolutely the best choice to control the TVs because of the play/pause and volume controls, and it’s just like using a normal TV remote, except it can also turn down the lights and turn up the a/c. Taggart Architecture and Sound Concepts delivered on their promises, and I’m still blown away at how beautiful the property is and how the technology brings everything together.�

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. ELAN is part of the CORE Brands 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®.