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.

Valley View Agri-Systems Personalizes Office With Custom Table, Lighting Fixture, and ELAN g! System

Logos are one of the most important advertising tools that exist, helping us recognize and remember world famous brands regardless of language or location. Valley View Agri-Systems, a leader in grain storage and material handling solutions, took their logo to heart when redesigning their Arkansas office to impress visitors and potential clients. Using the logo throughout their design and incorporating an intelligent control system made by ELAN, the company created a meeting and working space truly unique to their brand.

In a new conference room dubbed “the war room,” a custom-designed conference table and lighting fixture in the shape of their logo accentuate the space and reinforce the idea that Valley View Agri-Systems is in control of the meeting environment. That control is further highlighted by the advanced ELAN g! control system, which allows meeting leaders to easily manage and use the war room’s audio and video systems from an iPad docked on the conference table or an ELAN HR2 handheld remote.

According to installer Ryan Heringer, owner of Jonesboro, Arkansas-based Sound Concepts, the consolidated control of A/V in the conference room and eight separate offices gives the Valley View staff another means of impressing potential clients and visitors.

“With a few taps they can pull up presentations and videos without any complications, every time,” Heringer said. “Anyone who has frequented board rooms for presentations using technology can likely tell you how frustrating it is when things don’t work perfectly, or that it is a nuisance for someone to require advanced knowledge to simply operate the TV and audio system. What we are able to provide through the ELAN g! system is a dead-simple interface that turns everything on and presents the video options and computer connections in a truly easy format so even a first-time user can dive into operating it with ease.”

In addition to the requirement that the system be basically foolproof, keeping everything hidden was a top priority. Using in-ceiling adjustable direction speakers and the wireless ELAN g! system, the only things visible in the room are an iPad for control and the TVs on the walls. Infrared signaling and IP connectivity allows for all the processing equipment, video players and amplifiers to remain behind the scenes in a rack located in small closet in the war room.

The war room consists of a 14-seat conference table in the shape of Valley View’s bulging-rectangle logo, situated directly beneath a matching lighting fixture designed in precisely the same shape. Beyond the head of the table is a wall-mounted 80” Sharp 1080p TV, with two 65” Samsung 1080p adjustable-angle TVs flanking the table’s long sides, providing easy presentation and video viewing for every person in the room. Eight in-ceiling speakers provide clear audio without cluttering the room.

Outside the conference room the integration extends into eight offices, each featuring a wall-mounted 40” Samsung TV and a single in-ceiling speaker. An ELAN S1616A amplifier/multi-room audio controller provides power for all 16 speakers throughout the conference room and offices, and can send separate signals to each room. This way the war room conference does not affect a smaller office meeting, while everything runs through the same reliable system. The equipment rack includes nine cable boxes, one for each separate room, in addition to two Apple TVs and an Integra Blu-ray player with access to Netflix and Vudu. A Binary 16x16 HDMI matrix switch routes all video from the equipment closet to the 11 TVs.

To download additional hi-res photography, click here.

ELAN g! and Niles Speakers Provide the Foundation for an Easy-To-Use Full Home Automation System

Building a home always starts with laying a strong foundation. The same can be said for any home control system, and that’s exactly what the ELAN g! System and more than 50 Niles speakers have done for one Pennsylvania homeowner.

“This client came to me asking for a simple way to control everything in their home from the TVs to the pool, but they didn’t know how to accomplish that,” said Keith Foltz, owner of Harrisburg, Penn.-based Momentum Sound and Media. “I told them that I could take care of everything, and that it would all tie together seamlessly through the ELAN g! system. All of the other components are intentionally behind the scenes, so the most important thing for them is an enjoyable user experience and reliability, which ELAN delivers in spades.”

Like most homeowners today, this family didn’t want to see wires hanging from TVs or clunky black boxes in every room. Foltz was able to eliminate all of that clutter by combining all the ELAN equipment plus every cable box, audio receiver and subsystem control unit into two equipment racks located in the basement utility room. Then he designed a whole-home audio system using Niles legendary in-ceiling speakers so every room has crystal clear audio and no visible speakers. These considerations keep the house free of mess and also make it easier to troubleshoot any issues that may arise.

“Putting all the electronics in one stack is the only way I would organize a system this large,” Foltz said. “That way if anything needs to be changed, replaced or fixed, I don’t have to trace wires or open walls. It also makes the system cheaper, because all equipment like this should be connected to high quality surge protectors, so I can install just a few of them for the whole rack instead of putting one in every room.”

Even the backyard has its own music zones with two wall-mounted speakers, two planter speakers, two rock speakers and a hidden in-ground subwoofer, all from Niles. So what is it like to control nine TVs, 52 speakers in 21 zones, five zones of HVAC, the home’s lights, security, garage doors, irrigation and pool from one device?

“The ease of operation and convenience of the iPhone/iPad app is best part of the system,” the homeowners said. “Control of the entire house is literally at our fingertips at home as well as when we’re away. With four children, it is amazing convenience to be able to turn off lights, TVs, and music from our phones rather than running through the house each time we leave.”

With a centrally-located 7-inch ELAN touchscreen, five 2-inch wall-mounted touchscreens throughout the house and eight ELAN HR2 handheld remotes for the TVs, the family is always just a few buttons taps away from putting their favorite music or TV on in whichever rooms they choose. It’s just as easy to check that the security system is armed, the garage doors are closed and the lights are off, making it easy to come and go without walking around to make sure everything is set appropriately. And whether they are home or halfway around the world, the family can check in on the home’s surveillance cameras from their iPhones, iPads or any computer. In the near future Foltz will install and integrate electronic locks on several of the home’s exterior doors and ELAN control for the driveway gate.

The crown jewel of the home’s entertainment offerings is the luxury home theater. Combining a backlit 122-inch Screen Innovation Black Diamond screen, a JVC 4K projector, three Sunfire CRM3 ribbon speakers in the front, six Niles HD8 speakers for surround and a Sunfire in-wall SubRosa subwoofer with nine Salamander Designs theater seats, the theater takes viewers away from the home and places them right in the movie.

“I love that the ELAN system is compatible with so many products from other top-name brands like ELK Security, Aprilaire, Pentair, Lutron, Access surveillance cameras and more,” Foltz said. “It gives me a lot of flexibility when designing a control system, both in terms of functionality and price.”

To download hi-res images of this installation, click here.

Dallas-Based DJ Jagger Puts Studio-Quality Audio in Every Room With the ELAN g! System

It’s safe to say that DJ Jagger knows a thing or two about music after more than 30 years broadcasting on 102.1 The Edge in the Dallas, Texas area. So when Jagger and his partner, Patrick, decided to build their automated dream home in North Dallas, they hired local integration firm Eco High Fidelity to install an ELAN g! system that makes it easy to play the perfect tunes in any room.

According to Tommy Kissell of Eco High Fidelity, Jagger’s top request for his home technology was an immaculate audio system that delivers pristine sound in every room, not just in the high-traffic areas. With 30 audio zones meticulously designed down to the smallest detail, the system ensures the highest fidelity of audio throughout the entire house with Paradigm reference in-ceiling speakers and ELAN S1616 amplifiers. The result is that every bedroom, hallway, shower, bathroom and even the kitchen and pantry are audio powerhouses. Although movies and TV are essential, the owners intentionally minimized the video areas and installed only three TVs to ensure more family time and to emphasize audio.

“With two young daughters, Jagger and Patrick are always on the move,” Kissell said. “Our marching orders were to create a system that allowed seamless transition as they walked through the house. Imagine spending your childhood surrounded by studio-quality audio and a DJ dad who is a walking encyclopedia of music. Something tells me we will see their kids on ‘Rock & Roll Jeopardy’ someday.”

To provide limitless options of music, the integrators built the system around streaming music services rather than traditional media formats. For example, the S1 Digital Music Streamer with over 241,000 songs allows Jagger to play his personal library along with Spotify, Pandora, Sirius and FM stations. The new technology from S1 allows the client to attach any subscribed music service to the system with two-way feedback. The S1 Streamer combined with the ELAN g! system allows Jagger to select his favorite music from his smartphone or tablet while sitting by the pool or anywhere else in the home. An Apple TV box also allows anything to be played seamlessly through the wireless network via Airplay.

The newly finished mid-century modern home was designed by Artex Development, which has collaborated with Eco High Fidelity to create a number of state-of-the-art integrated homes in North Texas. The standards of a project like this required detailed planning from beginning to end. In collaboration with Artex, Eco High Fidelity applied a turnkey system using methodologies mastered from previous projects. The collaboration between Eco High Fidelity and the mechanical, electrical, pool, irrigation, security and landscape contractors were key factors in the design process. The project required constant communication, so over the course of the two-year project, not a single week went by without a detailed conversation about automation and its role in the house.

To manage the massive data traffic within the house, Eco High Fidelity turned to the new Pakedge CP36 to guarantee a strong Wi-Fi signal throughout the house. The enterprise-grade router allows simultaneous internet use, automation and control through the ELAN g! system.

Showing their commitment to creating a perfect system, the integrators also made every effort to keep the system affordable, hidden from view and simple to use. “We designed the Lutron RadioRA 2 system with centralized switches to make it more like the high-end HomeWorks QS system. Although it required detailed planning and collaboration, this is a good solution for builders and homeowners to achieve elegant lighting control designs without breaking the bank. A group of switches is located in the master closet, while the owners control the lights via a variety of keypads and ELAN g! interfaces.”

Of course this project also came with some special requests. As a morning show host, Jagger has a very early schedule, so they programmed low-level light pathways to allow him to get up in the middle of the night without waking his family. The ELAN g! system gives the owners full control of the home’s surveillance cameras, irrigation, pool controls, multiple climate zones and a full-fledged security system. Because they work through ELAN g!, each subsystem can be monitored for sustainability using a detailed usage and event history.

With several ELAN HR2 remotes providing global coverage and full control from any room in the house, in addition to a centrally-located 7-inch ELAN touch panel, the family is never more than a touch away from the ultimate home control experience.