Smartcomm present a stunning contemporary-style villa located in one of the hottest European destinations; showcasing a cutting-edge Home Cinema bursting with mod cons!
The owner of this luxury family home is acutely in-the-know when it comes to the latest must-have technology for homes, so it was surprising to learn that the villa previously had no AV systems or related cabling infrastructure. A property of this style and value, when developed in the UK, typically includes an element of audio visual technology as standard, however according to the Client this is not common practice in his country due to a lack of integration specialists.
Having decided to integrate a custom home cinema and multi-room audio system into his home, the Client sourced a number of overseas integration companies with the expertise to deliver a state-of-the-art solution that would meet his and his family’s requirements. Each company was invited to bid in a tender process; the Client comments on why Smartcomm were awarded the contract: “We were lucky to come across Smartcomm on the 2009 CEDIA Award Winners List, and our collaboration started following our request for a comprehensive audio and video solution to be integrated into our home. Detailed reports, instant feedback, a variety of hi-end technology options and quick delivery and installation terms rendered Smartcomm our final choice out of a total of six very good potential Contractors.”
The Client’s requirements for the Home Cinema included display of HD content (both films and TV), superb sound quality, aesthetically pleasing design so that the system looked good even when not in use, and integration into the existing structure with minimal damage to the property. Smartcomm did not disappoint and delivered a system that would provide plenty of enjoyment and fun and yet be discrete and simple when required. There are two main parts to the system, the first is the localised Home Cinema in the lounge where the Client can control video and audio sources, as well as the blinds using a Crestron TPMC-4XG touchpanel. The second is the Sonos Audio system that is controlled using the Sonos CR100 controllers situated in four locations throughout the property.
The Home Cinema features Crestron control via a CP2E processor which has the ability to control all AV devices in a single room or an entire house making it an ideal choice for systems that require flexibility for any future additions/upgrades. The CP2E is housed in a custom made rack which was specifically designed and built to fit into the Client’s existing display unit.
We connected the two display devices, an existing Sony TV and SIM2 ceiling mounted projector, to three video sources; an existing DreamBox HD satellite receiver, an existing Blu-Ray DVD player and a HDMI auxiliary input. The projector is capable of displaying all three video feeds whilst the Sony TV only displays content from the DreamBox. The Blu-Ray DVD player can also be used as a CD player.
The SIM2 projects onto a wall mounted 130” Stewart projection screen with side masking. The masking by default is set at its lowered position displaying a 16:9 image, this can be changed to a 2.35:1 aspect ratio by pressing a preset button on the Crestron touchpanel and raising the side masking.
The audio is transmitted through a 7.2 audio system which can be set to stereo audio or a range of THX surround sound settings creating an authentic cinema experience. It consists of three M&K book shelf speakers and two M&K Subwoofers at the front of the room, and four M&K in-ceiling side and rear speakers. All speakers deliver 400 watts per channel creating an extremely powerful sound when required.
All these devices, as well as the existing blinds in the room, are controlled via a Crestron TPMC-4XG touchpanel. The touchpanel has been programmed with “System On” and “System Off” buttons. A single press of the “System On” button switches the Onkyo AVR on, lowers the projector into position, turns the projector on and then displays the previous video source that was being watched on the projection screen. The “System Off” button turns the projector off and raises it back into the ceiling as well as turning the AVR off. It also resets the masking of the projection screen to the default 16:9 display setting if it was changed to the 2.35:1 aspect ratio as well as turning the Sony TV off if it is on.
The Dreambox can be viewed on the Sony TV independently from the rest of the system. For this reason, it is not necessary to turn the entire system on.
The Client gives his final verdict on Smartcomm’s solution: “Thanks to Smartcomm we are now able to enjoy a great cinema experience and marvellous acoustic features in our villa. The system is easy to run and maintain, as we also received detailed manuals and troubleshooting advice. Further, Smartcomm are always ready to provide 24/7 support and constant online software updates in case we have any questions on our multimedia system, which once again proves our initial nomination as highly accurate in the long run.
We strongly recommend Smartcomm to our friends and we are hoping to be able to use Smartcomm’s services shortly in other ventures requiring their talent, profound expertise and flexible approach.”
