Control4 bowed a multitasking intercom that’s said to improve on the smart doorbell by providing access control, video surveillance, security and interactive communication. Control4 Intercom Anywhere, described as “caller-id for the front door,” allows homeowners to ignore unwanted calls, answer calls from a guest or accept a delivery remotely. A differentiator from other smart doorbells is support for customizable programming, allowing a customer to use a smartphone to see and talk to visitors at the door and also turn on lights, unlock the door, open the gate or garage, disarm or trigger the alarm and perform other actions enabled by a Control4 automation system, said the company. Within the home, family members can make calls to and from Control4 touch screens or place a call to a family member’s mobile phone from a touch screen. A user could dial all touch screens for a video call to make a fast connection, it said, and a one-touch broadcast feature enables a whole-house announcement to connected devices.
AVAD announced a strategic partnership with Savant to showcase smart home products based on the recently announced (see 1806280050) Savant Studio and Savant Central Management. AVAD will provide sales, logistics and support services to Savant dealers in the U.S. and Canada beginning Aug. 1, it said. The cloud-based Savant Studio configuration and management software enables installers to configure systems from an iPad and alerts integrators to service issues before a problem arises, Savant said, and the central management software provides time-stamped, permission-based secure access to systems. Under the partnership, existing Savant dealers will have access to hardware, technical support and customer service where AVAD has a physical presence, it said.
Savant added music and smart home features in its latest software update, it said Monday. The 8.8 software release includes Savant Music 2.0, a new music server said to boost reliability, speed and navigation with redesigned app control screens and an equalizer screen. Music 2.0 supports music streaming services Spotify, Pandora, TuneIn, Tidal and Deezer, along with AirPlay and the Plex media server for locally stored music, it said. The redesigned iOS app added control screens for cable, satellite and streaming video services and the ability to modify button layouts, said the company. Savant also updated its TrueImage interface to include white temperature settings for color temperatures from 2700 K to 6000 K and added a color selection tool for Savant smart bulbs and light strips.
RTI released a two-way driver for Aprilaire Wi-Fi-enabled thermostats, it said Wednesday. Integrators can add the thermostats to an RTI control system, allowing users to access and adjust temperature, humidity and air purity functions, said the company.
URC launched the MXHP-R700 handheld remote for the MX HomePro control system, and it expanded MX HomePro system control to eight zones. The R700 remote has a backlit, hard-button keypad and tabletop charging cradle, it said. The company also introduced a Sonos-certified two-way module.
The pairing of the home control market with LED lighting solutions companies continued Tuesday with Savant’s announcement it's partnering with USAI Lighting on “end-to-end” lighting solutions and joint product design and marketing initiatives. The partnership aims to solve compatibility issues integrators face with disparate lighting solutions, Savant said. Savant integrators will be able to offer their clients a wide selection of residentially focused USAI lighting fixtures from six product families encompassing hundreds of fixture options, it said, and both companies will provide online project design, ordering tools and other support services for integrators. The collaboration is a “huge leap forward” in how tunable white and WRGB lighting can be configured and controlled, the companies said. With Savant’s TrueImage, which allows users to experience virtual lights in any room from photographs taken and stored on their mobile devices, users will be able to change dimming levels, Kelvin temperatures and WRGB colors from their phone, tablet, Savant touch screens and remote controls, along with voice control via Savant scenes, it said. The companies promoted the ability to regulate biological responses -- alertness during the day and sleepiness at night -- through lighting that mimics lighting intensity according to time of day.
Crestron added support for third-party AV devices to its Pyng home automation platform, and it announced LG as the initial AV launch partner with its OLED, Super UHD and UHD TVs. The two companies previously partnered in the enterprise market. Support for Pyng video will be released this summer, said Crestron.
Control4 said more than 1,000 installers registered for its Pakedge certified network administrator (PCNA) training program. The company noted that more than a year ago 30 percent of dealer support problems involved solely a network issue rather than hardware snafus. Dealing with a dealer base that had come to the home control market largely from the AV side, the company launched the PCNA curriculum after it bought networking company Pakedge two years ago (see 1602040032), it said. The six-week curriculum includes coursework, online instructional office hours and an online exam to ensure networking competency, said the company Wednesday. The training program launched last fall.
RTI announced a remote solution for dealers to monitor clients’ audio and video installations, before Integrated Systems Europe, it said Monday. The system, free for RTI dealers, monitors components controlled by an RTI XP control processor. They can monitor the status of devices from a dashboard over the internet and receive email and text notifications warning of a failure. They can then remotely trigger an action to restore the failed system or component, including rebooting devices, running macros or sending commands, said the company.
As more companies enter the smart home space, traditional smart home companies are expanding their reach, production introductions showed at CES. Somfy, known for its shade products and its motors that power controllable shades from other brands, expanded into video security with the launch of an outdoor camera. The camera has a voice alert that sounds when an intruder enters a predefined zone, said the company. If the person doesn’t leave within a set time, a 110-dB siren sounds. The camera, with SomfyVision technology, is said to distinguish human movement from animal or vehicle movement, reducing the risk of a false alarm. Camera view is 130 degrees with full HD resolution, high dynamic range, night vision and 8x zoom, Somfy said. Price wasn’t given for the camera, due in Q4. Control company Crestron, meanwhile, expanded its motorized shade line with horizontal sheer shades that tilt open or closed, or fully roll up. Crestron also eased into voice control via Google Assistant for lighting. Dealers can integrate control with commands such as: “Google, turn on the kitchen lights,” said the company. The companies are working on the second phase of integration, which will enable scene control of multiple subsystems, Crestron said. Lighting control is the first step, but “homeowners will ultimately have the ability to use voice commands with Google Assistant to control … lights, shades, AV, HVAC, security and much more,” said Crestron Vice President-Residential Systems John Clancy.