Monday, May 7, 2012 at 9:13 AM In case you missed it, Crestron was featured on the CBS Evening News last Friday. In the segment, founder, George Feldstein, and EVP, Randly Klein, explain how Crestron is hiring in this rough times. Check out the full segment below.
CBS Evening News, jobs in Media Monday, April 30, 2012 at 10:48 AM The trend to giant flat-screen televisions is not a happy one for those who love traditional decor. “You have to have them, but they’re so big, and they’re always right in the middle of everything,” says one homeowner.
Fortunately, a few electronics manufacturers recognize the problem and are working to minimize it.
A beautiful example is the family media room of the 1930’s Cravens Mansion in Pasadena, California, extensively remodeled and opened to the public as the Pasadena Showcase House of Design.
“We had thousands of people pass through this room, ranging from the general public to architects and professional decorators – and I think every one of them was shocked when we turned on the audio/video system. They just didn’t realize it was there.”
That’s David Bradford of Thousand Oaks-based Wilshire Media Systems, talking about the electronics his company installed in the family room, which blended seamlessly with the decor when not in use.
“First, we had a gorgeous wall-mounted 52” LED mirrored TV. No one had a clue it was a display until we turned it on for each tour. We also had a 46” flat screen rising out of a cabinet,” Bradford notes. “More people had seen this type of device, but they still were impressed by the beautiful piece of furniture we enclosed it in.”
A set of in-ceiling surround loudspeakers and a subwoofer were almost invisible, even while in use. “The sound was absolutely wonderful,” Bradford adds. There was also an automated lighting and shading system. When the TVs were turned on, these lowered automatically as the room lights dimmed, setting the stage for a memorable viewing experience.
Wilshire Media tied all of these systems together with a control system from Crestron, operated from a 5.7” touch-sensitive panel not hidden, but discretely placed on a credenza.
Behind the scenes
“The feedback from the people who visited the room has been amazing,” says Bradford. “Among the written comments we received were ‘Breathtaking,’ and ‘A WOW factor of 10!’”
According to David Martin of Casgan, Inc., who programmed the Crestron systems, a control system like the one installed in the Craven House makes it easy to operate multiple devices with the touch of one or two buttons. Press “Blu-Ray,” for example, and the mirror TV turns on, the hidden TV rises up from the cabinet, the sound system switches to the correct input, the lights dim, the shades lower, and the menu appears on each screen. “A Crestron touch screen can put everything in your home at your fingertips, from music to movies, TV, DVR, lights, heating, air conditioning and security system,” Martin explains. “We couldn’t have made all this happen without the Crestron systems.”
Wilshire Media also installed a Crestron lighting system to simplify and automate operation of the family room lights. “The decorators spent a lot of time on the lighting in this room,” Bradford explains, “and the Crestron system adjusted each fixture perfectly every time we turned them on, with just the touch of one button.” Wilshire technicians set up several scenes, for evening family time, entertaining and for watching TV. There was even a setting that turned on a few lights for an overcast day.
One of the nice features of the lighting system was its ecologically-friendly design. Visitors were able to see how Crestron can display the current energy usage on the touch screen.
“One of the challenges we had in the Craven Mansion was snaking in new wires without disturbing the original plasterwork,” Bradford adds. “The Crestron iLux® lighting system greatly simplified that process, because all of the control commands travel wirelessly.” All installers had to do was remove the old switches and switch plates and insert the Crestron dimmers. Once they were in place, the technicians were ready to program the various lighting scenes.
The showcase was a resounding success, with the admission price of more than 40,000 visitors going to support the Los Angeles Philharmonic and other local cultural and educational programs. The visitors walked away with a new vision of how home electronics can seamlessly blend with a beautiful home’s décor.
Home Theater, Pasadena in Residential Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at 9:32 AM Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson wanted to group three different small sites into one location and chose the Oracle building in Zaventem (Belgium) as its main premises. The building was transformed into offices and became Johnson Medical.
The building has an international character because of its proximity to Brussels airport which is why there was a real need for space and sufficient meeting rooms. Dieter Van Rooy at Johnson & Johnson says: “The choice for Crestron was made years ago. Working more closely with the US, we have made certain agreements on standards. Due to its functionality, Crestron’s Roomview became the standard.”
Johnson & Johnson opted for Avex as the audiovisual integrator for the project thanks to their expertise on Crestron. Tom Schuermans at Avex comments: “We built on our current knowledge and expertise and tied that in with the requirements Johnson & Johnson had”.
A total, of 45 meeting rooms were fitted out ranging from small, medium to big, all with the same look and feel. Based on the functionality of the meeting room, the concept was further developed. The main focus was u’serfriendliness. Each meeting room is equipped with a monitor on the wall, a touch screen and the possibility to go digital.
Energy efficiency was an important issue as the building is LEED certified (the international durability standard that judges buildings on its environmental policy). This is why each meeting room uses an MPC-M5 that is connected to the network and can be consulted via Roomview to get an overview. The movement and sound sensors ensure that everything automatically gets disconnected when the last person has left the room. The bigger the room, the more functionalities are involved.
In the bigger meeting rooms, everything is controlled with a white TPS-6X touch screen. The audio conferences require built in microphones which are also controlledwiththeTPS-6Xand all light, audio and visual control happens centrally. The rooms are also equipped with the latest equipment such as LED monitors that are very energy efficient.
Both lecture theatres are equipped with a TPMC- 9 touchscreen. Everything has been automised: from the lighting to the external blinds. The sound and movement detection system ensures everything shuts off automatically as soon as the auditorium is vacated. The detection sensors also help in creating the perfect sound environment. There is a full HD projection via analog and digital techniques and a possibility to have audio conferences.
Sound is an extremely important factor in audio conferences which is why AVEX has carried out an acoustic study for the big meeting rooms and auditoria which helped AVEX in determiningwhichaudioproduct to use.
AVEX opted to use more Crestron solutions in the break out area and the fitness area. In the break out area LED monitors and a TPMC-4 are controlling the music and the presentations.
The building has now been in use for a couple of months and the feedback by the employees has been very positive. ‘The Crestron system is extremely user friendly and of superior quality’, says Dieter Van Rooy.
Amsterdam, Johnson & Johnson in Commercial Monday, December 12, 2011 at 8:51 AM The following blog post is part of our guest blogger series.
Powerful New Technology Brings the Future of Control System Programming to the Present
By Steve Greenblatt, CTS; President, Control Concepts, Inc.
My recent experience at Crestron Master’s training left me with an “ah hah” moment that innovations in Crestron technology will cause a shift in the fundamental approach to programming in a positive way.
No longer will there be a one-to-one ratio between processors and systems or control ports and programs. Nor will we be limited to a simple, straightforward approach when designing a program for a system. Leveraging the power of the new 3 Series processors will prompt programmers to plan how to design and develop code to manage resources and control devices in a system to maximize efficiency, operability, and maintenance. With the new processors, the emphasis for future projects becomes architecting a program and crafting control systems that take advantage of the power of the technology.
Simply put, the ability to store multiple programs in a single processor (10 are currently supported), will allow one processor to run multiple systems. The technological power comes in when the processor is used to run multiple programs that become sub-systems of a project. Each sub-system can be a complete program that runs different applications in a room, in cases like support for room combining scenarios or for multi-purpose room applications. Sub-systems also can be centered on functionality and mode of operation such as presentation, video conference, audio conference, or remote management.
Breaking a system into components makes it easier to upgrade, add and modify sections without interrupting other areas of operation. Technological power and efficiency come into play when changes are made such as life cycle replacements, added features or device changes. New 3 Series technology allows optimized code writing, providing easier implementation, debugging, and maintenance.
The Core 3 UI marks another advancement. Now that we live in the touchscreen age, in which everyone is “pinching,” “dragging,” and “swiping” on devices that they carry with them every day, our industry is challenged to provide a user interface that is just as technologically savvy and easy to use. Crestron has equipped us to do so with the Core 3 technology supported in their new touchpanels.
These tools allow the AV industry to be accepted as serious technology leaders. The key here is that Core 3 supports Flash widgets to allow a more interactive user experience and the touchpanel “wow” factor, satisfying the techy user looking for a dynamic interface and the non-technical user who is looking for an easy-to- use experience. The new Crestron Core 3 UI provides added tools that make programming more efficient and less time consuming, a win-win for programmers and their clients!
Master’s training left me with a head full of knowledge and ideas and a thirst for how we can put powerful new technology to good use.
Opportunities abound. What opportunities do you see?
Steve Greenblatt, CTS is President of Control Concepts, Inc. (CCI) is a leading independent provider of audiovisual control system solutions. The CCI team of experienced professionals creates high quality, intuitive control programming designs for complex AV systems. CCI combines thorough, proven design and development process with audiovisual science to make AV systems easy to use in boardrooms, classrooms, and entertainment venues. CCI’s solutions help consultants, integrators, manufacturers and end user technology managers reduce the business risks associated with complex projects through services that include control system programming, touchpanel design, custom software solutions, mobile applications, consulting and needs analysis, documentation, system staging, testing and commissioning, and technical support.
Master Class, guest blogger in Crestron Life Friday, December 2, 2011 at 11:55 AM
The life of a celebrity billionaire is complicated enough, but when Sir Richard Branson is ready to relax in his home, he wants things simple.
Branson, owner of Virgin Atlantic Airlines, Virgin Records and 400 other companies, is a soft-spoken, unassuming man in private, says Rusty Henderson, partner in electronics integration company, Think Simple Limited.
Branson’s home is simple as well. His main residence, located on Necker Island, the 74-acre private paradise he owns in the Caribbean, is just three rooms (or rather three small buildings): a bedroom, kitchen and living/entertaining space called the Temple Room, with adjoining spa and swimming pool.
It’s true that the setting is extraordinary. Branson can watch the sun rise over the Atlantic and the sun set into the Caribbean from the Temple Room. Though roofed, the space is open to sea breezes and provides almost 360-degree views of the island.
Just over a year ago, Henderson installed new audio/video systems in the residence. “Our main concern was making sure everything was incredibly easy to use,” he explains.
Though Branson’s entertainment systems are simple, making them work was anything but. “The Caribbean environment is very harsh,” Henderson explains. Because the island’s salty air is highly corrosive, exposed surfaces and all connections had to be marinised, a process where a barrier material is applied to keep out the salt air.
The second problem was absorbing power variations and possible power interruptions. Necker Island produces its own electricity through two large generators. When power is switched from one source to another, or if the generators have any problem, the resulting sags, spikes and surges can have a very damaging effect on electronics. For that reason, Think Simple deployed a series of uninterruptible power supplies, which use batteries to filter the power and make sure it’s perfectly consistent. These intelligent devices are also able to shut down when not in use, reducing power consumption and utility costs.
The biggest challenge was lightning, a recognized danger in the Caribbean. Because of the concern with lightning, Henderson says Think Simple avoided the use of copper cable whenever possible in Branson’s private house, transporting audio, video and Internet signals via non-conducive fiber optics.
The key to Branson’s entertainment system, according to Henderson, is the use of a control system from Crestron. Think Simple installed two Crestron control processors and tied them into a movie player, DVD player, two LED displays (one in the bedroom and one in the kitchen), a multi-zone sound system with three iPod® docks and a 55” SunBrite® weather-proof TV for the Temple Room.
Branson can choose a movie or TV station, queue up music from his iPod or play a DVD. He also has Internet connections in each living area. “Mr. Branson uses the TV the most and lives off the news and world events,” Henderson adds.
The movie player stores Branson’s entire movie collection in a single device, with a very easy-to-use interface accessed through the Crestron processor. Branson is able to operate the movie player and the other components using a remote control, which Henderson chose for its extreme simplicity and reliability. Think Simple also installed Crestron Cameo® Keypads in each room as an alternative, in-wall control for the music system.
Crestron components were also helpful in the harsh Caribbean environment. Henderson says he chose them because of the extreme reliability of the company’s products.
Since Branson likes his electronics out of sight when not in use, Think Simple hid loudspeakers in-wall or in discrete locations in the ceilings. They installed subwoofers under the floors, with the sound rising from grills not unlike air- conditioning vents. Think Simple also installed the TV in the bedroom in a teak cabinet, from which it rises and swivels to an ideal viewing position at the touch of a button on the remote control. The pool, too, includes underwater speakers, so Branson and his guests can listen to music or the TV when swimming or relaxing.
Henderson says it took an eight-man crew 28 days to install all the wiring and components, traveling from a temporary base on the nearby island of Virgin Gorda. “We hired two transport vessels to get the team to and from the island every day. The boats had to be pretty large as we had over 20 waterproof crates full of the equipment and tools required to implement the installation.”
Branson, however, appreciated the effort. His short but sweet comment, “This is absurdly good!”
Neck Island, Richard Branson, Virgin in Residential 
