Eco High Fidelity Installs ELAN Entertainment and Control System in Maui, Creating 21st Century Sustainable Smart Home

Sustainable technology has become a common topic among homeowners wanting to minimize environmental impact without decreasing functionality. When Dattilo Design Group, a Maui-based builder and design company, began rebuilding a Wailea home after a fire, the team was initially hesitant about incorporating smart home technology into the project because their prior experience with ‘smart home’ systems was not a good one. After doing a little research, the group turned to integration firm Eco High Fidelity to install sustainable audio and custom-shading solutions powered by an ELAN Entertainment and Control System.

“When I received the call about the Wailea project in Maui, I jumped at the chance,” Owner of Eco High Fidelity Tommy Kissell said. “Dattilo Design Group’s visions require a higher standard than normal designers. Like all of our projects, we relied on the concepts and methods of sustainability. To ensure the best results, we assembled a diverse group of specialists to create a spectacular state-of-the-art system that would make the Jetson family jealous.” 

Due to the home’s open floor plan, flames and smoke from the fire caused damage throughout, including the electronics and shading solutions. However, even before the fire, the owners were frustrated with the technology previously installed. The A/V elements and home automation system were unreliable and prone to service calls. “It’s the same story we have all heard,” Kissell added. “Hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent on a complicated system that ended up requiring constant maintenance.”

To counteract the owner’s struggle with electronics, Eco High Fidelity centered the new A/V system around a simple and reliable ELAN control system. “This ensures that the whole-home automation system functions perfectly and remains fun to use,” Kissell continued.

Allowing the owners to enjoy whole-home audio, an ELAN S1616A multi-zone audio controller was integrated into the ELAN control system. Through the ELAN system, the homeowner can listen to a 250,000-song music library and popular streaming services, including Spotify, Pandora, Maui Native 92.5 and Sirius XM, anywhere in the home.

“Another one of the main highlights of this house is the unique shading solution,” Kissell explained. “To ensure comfort and protect the owner’s art and custom furniture, specialized shading solutions provide daylight harvesting and blackout environments. Additionally, the house has a 35-foot-wide ceiling window over the entryway and foyer, so we had to develop a sun-shield for that area.” 

Working closely with Eco High Fidelity’s partners, the team was able to develop customized Roman, Sheers and Ceiling shades, operated through a Lutron system. Fully linked through the ELAN controls, the owner’s can raise or lower any of the shades with the touch of a button.

To operate the entire ELAN system, three 7-inch, in-wall touch panels were integrated around the home. For more portable options, the owners can use several global hard-button remotes or the ELAN App on an Apple iPad. Furthermore, ELAN provides remote access to the automation system, so the designer, homeowner or integrator can access the controls from any web-enabled device. 

“Hawaii is becoming a bridge between sustainability and technology,” Kissell concluded. “Overtime, technology will provide sustainable solutions to maintain the integrity of the islands, while still providing the state-of-the-art features the natives desire.” 

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Core Brands Strengthens EMEA Sales and Support Team with Industry Pros Marc Waple and Iain Cameron

Furthering its commitment to provide Distributors with the industry’s best sales and support team, leading control, audio and power solutions provider Core Brands, today announced the reorganization of its EMEA sales and technical support team, with the appointments of Marc Waple and Iain Cameron as Core Brands International Sales and Tech Support Managers, concentrating on the ELAN, Furman CI*, Niles, SpeakerCraft, Proficient, Sunfire and Xantech brands.

Marc Waple

“Both Waple and Cameron have produced impressive results, helping Core Brands to grow its business in the CI and Pro channels,” Core Brands Director of International Sales Simon Spears said today. “Their industry expertise will greatly benefit Core Brands’ Distributors, as they continue to drive sales, and provide technical support in the EMEA market. We’re excited to welcome them both as full-time members of the Core Brands international team.”

Marc Waple has worked with Core Brands products since 2006 when he began working as a Niles Audio UK Sales Manager for BMB Electronics UK. Since then, he has held multiple sales and brand development positions at well known organizations within the UK, such as Sales Manager at Midwich Homes, Business Development Manager at Invision UK, and International Sales Manager EMEA at World Marketing Associates. 

Iain Cameron

Prior to joining Core Brands full time, Iain Cameron served as the Managing Director of ICSound, where he utilized his extensive audio engineering background. Cameron first joined the industry in 2001 as the Head Sound and Lighting Engineer at Woodend Arts Center in Aberdeenshire. Throughout the next 15 years, he held positions such as Audio Engineer at Great Big Resources; Audio Systems Design, Integration and Commissioner at the Anglican Center Qatar; and Freelance Applications Engineer for CUK-Audio.

“Marc and Iain bring a wealth of experience to their new positions at Core Brands,” Spears concluded. “Their knowledge of the markets, coupled with their understanding of our product offering, is going to help our Distributors throughout the region build their business volume and profits. We’re thrilled to have them on board.”

*Furman Pro products will remain with Julian Young at WMA.​

Core Brands and Autonomic Controls to Serve as MVP Co-Sponsors of 2015 D-Tools Design Awards Program

Two industry-leading custom installation solutions providers, Autonomic and Core Brands, today announced that they are joining forces to support industry-wide design best practices, serving as MVP (Manufacturer Vantage Point) Co-Sponsors of the 2015 D-Tools Design Awards Program. Through the sponsorship, the winner of the “Best Overall” category will receive an ELAN entertainment and control system with ELAN gHR200 remote and an Autonomic MMS-2A streaming media solution.

The annual D-Tools Design Awards Program puts the spotlight on the best project designs and greatest success stories that demonstrate D-Tools platform proficiency and the positive effects it has had on both workflow and ROI. Winning entries will be selected from a diverse group of D-Tools users. The winners will be announced at CEDIA Expo in Dallas, Texas.

“We are proud to co-sponsor this very important design awards program with Autonomic,” said Core Brands Director of Marketing Bill Hensley. “ELAN introduced the world to IP based, entertainment centric smart home automation.  Autonomic introduced the world's first cloud-based media server, making whole-house audio more intuitive, enjoyable and sophisticated for users while creating a profitable business model for custom integrators. And now that the ELAN control platform is completely compatible with Autonomic streaming media solutions, it makes perfect sense for our two companies to join together to support the best practices objectives of the D-Tools Design Awards Program.”

Autonomic CEO Michael de Nigris added, “We’re honored to partner with Core Brands in support of the D-Tools Design Awards Program. By providing the ‘Best Overall’ winner with a Mirage Music Player and an ELAN system controller, we’re giving them the opportunity to create an expandable whole-home automation system, beginning with a staple: whole-home audio.”

The ELAN entertainment and control system is a versatile controller and OSD extender that integrates seamlessly with a variety of systems, including the Mirage Music Player. The controller is robustly configured with 3 IR outputs, 1 IR input, 1 bi-directional RS-232 input, 1 sensor, 1 HDMI output (720p/1080p) and 1 audio output.  Its built-in WiFi enables all of its functions to be IP controlled, and PoE enabled, it uses dramatically less energy than conventional controllers.

The ELAN system features integration of up to 16 zones of security; 2 door locks; media that can control 1 AVR, 32 displays and an unlimited number of ELAN zones; as well as controls for lighting (24 devices and up to 24 custom g! keypads), climate (3 stats), video (3 IP cameras), irrigation (16 groups and 256 zones) — plus the ability to add on a virtually unlimited number of ELAN and Core Brands attachments.

The Mirage Music Player MMS-2A delivers pure, reference quality high-resolution audio via a USB output as well as two independently controlled streams to support a multi-room entertainment system as large as an astonishing 96 zones when paired with Mirage Digital Amplifiers. A new generation of the world’s first cloud-based media server, the MMS-2A will store, sync, schedule, blend and stream an entire music collection along with the most popular online streaming services. The MMS-2A also delivers all of the features that have become the hallmark of the Autonomic brand, including access to the most popular streaming services (PANDORA® internet radio, Rhapsody®, TuneIn Radio, SiriusXM Internet Radio, Slacker, Napster, Deezer and Spotify), iTunes synchronization, cloud synchronization enabling access to personal music collections across multiple locations, three onboard AirPlay receivers enabling guest computer/device streaming, and Autonomic’s exclusive TuneBridge™ technology (patent pending), making iteasier than ever to listen to, discover and explore the universe of music.

An ELAN g1 entertainment and control system, ELAN gHR200 remote and Autonomic Control MMS2A media solution will be on display at both Core Brands’ booth #4128 and Autonomic’s booth #3119.

Westin Long Beach Hotel Hosts Local Businesses and Events in High-Tech Meeting Space Protected by Furman

Competition is stiff among hotels that want to host events and corporate meetings for local businesses. To attract the event planners and meeting managers, the Westin Long Beach Hotel in Long Beach, California, recently transformed its large ballroom into a 4-room convertible space with divisible walls. To further enhance the space, the hotel turned to local integration firm Spinitar to incorporate the latest audio system and technology. According to Rudy Zavala, Associate Systems Designer at the firm, the goal of the installation came down to three things: simplicity, functionality and reliability.

“One big ballroom is great if you want to host large receptions or conferences, but the ability to split the space into four smaller rooms offers the hotel greater revenue opportunities and opens access to smaller parties and budgets,” Zavala explained. “But it’s not as simple as just putting in some convertible walls. Separate rooms mean you need separate audio systems and control interfaces that can also function as a single unit when the room is fully open for a larger event. To do this we used QSC’s Core 500i network audio solution backed by the protection of a BlueBOLT-enabled Furman F1500-UPS to ensure smooth, effortless operation 365 days a year.”

Routing all the power through the Furman UPS boasts multiple advantages. Utilizing the BlueBOLT cloud-based power, energy and network management platform, the device enables Spintar to access the equipment at its power source from anywhere in the world using any Web-enabled device. In case of a locked-up device or system power issue, the integrators can do remote hard resets of the touch panels, amplifiers and network switcher, even the entire QSC system if needed, greatly reducing service calls. This provides efficiency for both the hotel and the integrator, saving them time, money and frustration.

Featuring Furman’s advanced Series Multi-Stage Protection (SMP) surge/spike protection circuit, Extreme Voltage Shutdown (EVS) and Linear Filtering Technology (LiFT), the F1500-UPS provides the hotel with professional-level protection, filtration and backup combined with features engineered specifically for the needs of A/V systems. Fully programmable, the unit features an intuitive LCD front panel interface, which displays valuable system and diagnostic information, such as battery time remaining based on current load and voltage input/output. Additionally, critical load management capabilities allow hotel employees to prioritize allocations of battery power to connected equipment while the unit’s programmable IR blasters provide safe shutdown of remotely based equipment.

“Easy-to-use is an all encompassing term,” Zavala concluded. “This means that guests must be able to walk in to the space and use the system right away, every time. Additionally, the hotel managers and staff should be able to operate the meeting rooms without worrying about complicated technology. The GUI we created for the audio system is a floorplan of the space, with each touch panel opening up to its section of the room, and all the other sections are available by simply flipping to the next page of the interface. This way presenters can quickly use the input panels to hook up a microphone, iPod, or video player to one section or the whole room, while setting volumes for each specific area.”

Best of all, the system is designed to be easy-to-use for the integrators themselves. Incorporating the Furman F1500-UPS into the system simplifies the configuration, ultimately saving Zavala and his team time and money through BlueBOLT remote power management.

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Gary Sinise Foundation Grants Wounded Veteran Customized Smart Home With Key Technologies Provided by Core Brands

On November 19, 2010, U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Mark Litynski’s life was forever changed. After volunteering to be the point man on a foot patrol, he stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED), resulting in a bilateral above knee amputation and amputation of his left forearm. In early 2012, actor and humanitarian Gary Sinise learned about Litynski’s tribulation, and decided that Mark and his wife, Heather, would be the recipients of a specially adapted customized smart home, through the Sinise Foundation’s R.I.S.E. Program. With design modifications and expert technologies provided by top manufactures like Core Brands, the home was successfully completed this summer, making the triple-amputee’s daily life much simpler.

“I saw a video that Huffington Post produced, ‘Hidden Wounds,’ that featured Mark and Heather sharing their story,” Sinise explained. “It was my first strong awareness of what they were going through and I knew that I wanted to look into building them a Smart Home.”

Constructed with Litynski’s mobility at the epicenter of the design, the home is equipped with extra-wide hallways, pull-down cabinets, and anELAN Entertainment and Control System. “The ultimate goal of this project was to provide Mark with a home that he could move freely around and live more independently,” Executive Director of the Gary Sinise Foundation Judith Otter added.

Facilitating the communication between all of the home’s electronics, the ELAN system allows Litynski to operate everything from a mobile app on his smartphone or iPad. If his devices aren’t accessible, Litynski can operate the home through an ELAN gHR200 remotes or one of the four ELAN gTP7 in-wall touch screens installed throughout the home. All of the platforms were created with the end-user in mind, so Litynski can operate each system seamlessly, on devices that he and his family use daily.

The home theater, motorized window shades, security cameras and complete audio system are just a few of the many connected systems in the home. The audio system creates some serious sound, equipped with 7 Niles HDLCR in-wall LCR high-definition loudspeakers, 12 Niles DS8PR 8-inch ceiling-mount performance loudspeakers, a Niles CM8SI ceiling-mount 8-inch two-way speaker, and 3 Sunfire HRS-IW8 in-wall dual 8-inch subwoofers with a Sunfire amp. Additionally, all 6 of the home’s LINEAR IP indoor/outdoor cameras can be monitored through ELAN, which will be extremely beneficial when the Litynski’s are raising their first child, due this November.

The Smart Home was built in Duluth, MN, near Litynski’s hometown, where winters can be extremely brutal. Senior Project Manager Scott Schaeperkoetter explained, “We were nervous about the remoteness of the location and the delays that we could have possibly incurred due to extreme weather conditions. Thankfully, the contractor, Pete Franzen of Legacy Custom Homes, did an amazing job working through the hard winter months and delivered the home ahead of schedule.”

With the likelihood of extreme weather every winter, the home was designed with an effective power management system. To keep the Litynski home’s power up and running all year long, the system integrator installed two Panamax M4315-Pro 8 outlet power conditioners and a BlueBOLT-enabled Panamax MB1500 uninterruptible power supply and power conditioner for the home theater.

Everything in the home was custom-designed for not only Litynski’s mobility, but also his personal interests. “We also designed the home around Mark’s love for the outdoors,” Otter explained. “There are many large windows in the great room and kitchen that allow Mark to sit anywhere in those rooms and look at the woods and wilderness around him.” Outfitting the windows are 21 QMotion Qadvanced Automated Roller Shades featuring ultra-quiet, friction-free operation and no external wires. Two QMotion Qconnect systems allow the shades to be controlled by the ELAN home automation system.

“This home will allow me to be more independent,” Litynski stated. “It probably sounds so simple to someone else, but I can’t describe the feeling of being able to do something yourself that you once couldn’t. The simplest task can be enjoyable and you want to do it again and again, just because you can. I feel I have been blessed a thousand times over and beyond of what is enough.”

Honoring veterans like Litysnki, the Gary Sinise Foundation’s R.I.S.E. Program was established to provide wounded heroes and their families with the necessary resources to overcome daily life challenges. The Gary Sinise Foundation is committed to helping our wounded heroes increase their mobility and reclaim their self-reliance. 

“A big part of what we do at the Gary Sinise Foundation is raising awareness for the issues that our servicemen and women face and engaging the community to support their hometown hero,” Otter concluded. “We were thrilled that this happened on this project and that many national partners such as Core Brands provided key technology to help us complete this project and provide Mark with as much independence as possible."

To download additional hi-res images, click here.