by KMB Communications | Oct 18, 2021 | AtlasIED
AtlasIED Atmosphere platform has its global AV trade show debut, bringing InfoComm 2021 attendees a a revolutionary digital audio system that’s packed with advanced technology yet is simple to configure, install, and use.
PHOENIX, AZ – (October 23, 2021) – AtlasIED—a global manufacturer of comprehensive audio solutions for commercial environments, will debut for the first time at a global AV industry trade show its award-winning AtlasIED Atmosphere™ digital audio platform. Launched successfully last year, Atmosphere™ comprises a complete ecosystem of interoperable products rich with advanced features. The platform has been designed and engineered to be dramatically easier to configure, install, and operate than traditional digital audio systems, but with the modularity, scalability, versatility and quality performance to support the audio needs of a wide range of commercial applications, particularly well-suited for restaurants, bars, hotels, school campuses, houses of worship, and retail establishments.
“At last, a product line that removes the complexity of configuration yet maintains ample flexibility in designing a digital audio system for different types of venues,” says Cliff Stromeyer of Phoenix-based integration firm, Trox. Adds Mike Harpster of Capital Electric Wire & Cable, New Berlin, Wisconsin, “This platform enables us to help our customers deliver rich audio content to workplaces like never before. The simplicity and capabilities that have been engineered into Atmosphere™ make it a major game-changer for our clients. With the many plug-and-play wall-plate controls, getting a space up and sounding great is easier than ever before.”
For its InfoComm debut of AtlasIED Atmosphere™, the company will showcase several key components of the system, including an 8-zone and 4-zone audio processor (AZM8 and AZM4), wall-mounted controllers for volume, source and zone selection; remote input devices for RCA, XLR, and Bluetooth; a technologically advanced ambient noise sensor, and 400- and 800-watt, 4-channel power amplifiers. All of the components interoperate seamlessly, minimizing training time and installation, configuration, and programming headaches for AV integrators, and reducing the learning curve for end-users. Also setting Atmosphere™ apart from other digital audio solutions are integrated technologies including touchless control, automation, and artificial intelligence. Together, these features provide commercial establishments with a simpler, more convenient way to manage audio, resulting in greater customer and employee satisfaction and engagement.
New Black Wallplates and Accessories Blend in Better
New to the Atmosphere™ line is a choice of black wallplates and accessories. They join the platform’s original white wallplates and accessories as an option that blends better with the color schemes and construction materials of many hotels, bars, restaurants and other environments.
Firmware Update Introduces New AV Integrator-Inspired Capabilities to Atmosphere™
Additionally, AtlasIED will demonstrate Atmosphere’s new 2.0 firmware update, which introduces several new capabilities to the system. Stemming from integrator requests, recently implemented features include:
- Stereo and subwoofer support to produce dynamic, multi-dimensional music playback;
- bell scheduling for automatic notification of class dismissals, lunch breaks, and other events;
- room combine which enables large areas like conference rooms and banquet halls to be divided into multiple independent audio zones, and;
- self-healing accessories, which enables replacement Atmosphere™ components to be added to an installed system and be recognized and configured automatically.
“Atmosphere™ signifies our commitment to the audiovisual community through a comprehensive product platform that offers unprecedented benefits to both integrators and end-users,” says John Ivey, president at AtlasIED. “AV companies can take full advantage of the numerous benefits afforded by this innovative digital audio solution in a wide range of commercial environments, from the smallest cocktail lounge to the largest luxury hotel. Further, this platform and subsequent product rollouts and system refinements positions AtlasIED as a leader in the digital audio industry and creates exciting business opportunities for technology integrators.”
Revolutionary Features Set a New Digital Audio Standard: Touchless Control, Artificial Intelligence, and Automation
Gone are the days of multiple users touching the controls of a digital audio system to select sources, adjust the volume, and choose zones. Instead, Atmosphere™ enables each authorized user to manage the system from his or her own mobile device, lending a cleaner, more hygienic approach to control no matter which operating system is being utilized. Setup is simple: The controls of the Atmosphere™ digital audio processor populate automatically when a user’s mobile device scans the DSP’s QR code. Per parameters programmed initially into the system by the AV integrator, this QR code grants access to certain features; for example, allowing a manager to modify the schedule of outgoing messages, while staff is permitted to only adjust the volume level.
Leveraging this hands-off approach to control is Atmosphere’s™ revolutionary ambient noise compensation technology. Built into each Atmosphere™ DSP (two models are available) are multi-patented algorithms, which enable it to continually learn and adapt to changes in the environment. Through data collected and transmitted by an Atmosphere™ ambient noise sensor, the DSP comes to recognize patterns like the need to raise the volume at a bar during happy hour to compensate for high levels of ambient noise. Unlike systems that rely on external microphones to monitor the environment, Atmosphere™ uses artificial intelligence to analyze audio data and respond to the predictable behaviors of its users, such as consistent commands issued from an Atmosphere™ volume controller, as well as data sent from an Atmosphere™ ambient noise sensor to the DSP.
The audio level isn’t the only setting that Atmosphere™ adjusts automatically. Messages uploaded to the DSP as WAV files can be dispatched according to a pre-programmed schedule based on priority or when triggered by an Atmosphere™ input device, such as a volume/source/zone selector. This level of automation affords AV integrators a digital audio solution that can be customized for exceptional operational convenience, efficiency, and performance. Adding another layer of customization is a built-in Tilter Filter™, which drastically simplifies tuning the audio for the specific room or zone with an easy-to-use feature that helps balance lows and highs.
InfoComm 2021 attendees are invited to Booth #2311 to see AtlasIED’s Atmosphere™ platform as well as several new product introductions. To see the entire Atmosphere™ product portfolio and learn more about the digital audio platform, please visit https://www.atlasied.com/atmosphere. The Atmosphere family of products is currently in stock and shipping.
About AtlasIED
AtlasIED has been a recognized leader in the pro-audio industry for over 85 years, developing innovative audio solutions for a wide variety of commercial environments. The company’s diverse, comprehensive, and ever-evolving solutions cater to the high-quality audio and communication technology needs of markets globally, including transportation, healthcare, corporate, industrial, government, hospitality, education, and house of worship. Technologically advanced, expertly engineered, and highly marketable, AtlasIED’s products and systems deliver mass communication, high intelligibility announcements, IP-based visual and audio communications, distributed audio, background music, paging, and sound masking solutions to commercial projects of every size and scope, including those which are mission-critical. Family-owned, the company’s nine locations and a well-established network of experienced manufacturer representatives and distributors throughout the world ensure exceptional customer support and service to drive continued growth and advancement of the commercial audio industry.
For more information please visit www.atlasied.com, and follow the company on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
AtlasIED Media Contacts
Gina M. Sansivero, AtlasIED, (516) 901-8542, gina.sansivero@atlasied.com
Katye (McGregor) Bennett, KMB Communications, (425) 328-8640, katye@kmbcomm.com
All products, product names, trademarks, and registrations mentioned are the property of their respective owners, all rights reserved.
by KMB Communications | Oct 18, 2021 | AtlasIED
AtlasIED SHS family grows to provide AV integrators with additional aesthetically-friendly sound masking and high-fidelity background music options.
PHOENIX, AZ – (October 23, 2021) – AtlasIED expands its Strategically Hidden Speaker (SHS) line with the addition of two new high-quality, design-friendly speakers. Debuting at InfoComm 2021 (Booth #2311) are the SHS-3T2 and the SHS-LF, speakers engineered and designed for sound masking and high-quality music reproduction. These two new speakers both exhibit the same discreet, low-profile cosmetics as AtlasIED’s existing line of SHS products, making them a welcome addition to a range of commercial environments. 
Leveraging the capabilities and connectivity of its Z Series digital all-in-one sound masking, background music, and paging system, AtlasIED offers its new SHS-3T2. It integrates seamlessly with both the Z Series Z2-B and Z4-B High-Definition Acoustical System, providing AV integrators with a simple-to-install speaker that goes virtually unnoticed in healthcare, clinical, and corporate facilities where sound masking is important for speech privacy and workplace productivity and comfort. The SHS-3T2 is unique to the SHS family in that it offers a variety of mounting options, out of the box. Flexibility to match any aesthetic and work in any location is key, as the SHS-3T2 can be in-ceiling mounted, pendant mounted, or wall mounted.
Also joining the SHS family is the SHS-LF, a design-friendly subwoofer that pairs perfectly with AtlasIED’s SHS-6T2 and SHS-3T2 to round out the low-frequencies for high-quality music reproduction. Thanks to the addition of the SHS-LF, AV integrators now have an attractive solution for hospitality applications where high-quality background music lends greater customer satisfaction, engagement, and enjoyment.
Featuring the same attention to detail as AtlasIED’s original SHS speakers, the SHS-3T2 and SHS-LF blend into the aesthetic of any environment. The concealed design of the SHS speakers is achieved by an Adaptive Dispersion Lens Technology, a new, patented waveguide form unique to AtlasIED. Only a 3-inch diameter lens and a micro trim ring are visible when using the in-ceiling mounting configuration. The dispersion lens can be easily painted to match the ceiling without compromising the architectural aesthetics of the room. For hard-to-match spaces, AtlasIED’s DesignLab™ color match process uses high-resolution UV-printing technology to replicate color and texture onto the SHS lens for visual continuity.
“These new design-forward speakers integrated with our Z Series system provide corporate, healthcare, and hospitality customers with an attractive audio solution that delivers sound masking, paging, and background music beautifully,” says Michael Peveler, VP Sales. “AV integrators can now give their commercial customers a solution that conforms to both their design and performance requirements.”
InfoComm 2021 attendees are invited to Booth #2311 to see AtlasIED’s new SHS-3T2 and SHS-LF, as well as several other product introductions. To see AtlasIED’s entire Z Series and SHS portfolio, please visit https://www.atlasied.com/z-series-overview and https://www.atlasied.com/shs-series-overview. The SHS-6T2, SHS-3T2, and Z Series are all currently in stock and shipping.
About AtlasIED
AtlasIED has been a recognized leader in the pro-audio industry for over 85 years, developing innovative audio solutions for a wide variety of commercial environments. The company’s diverse, comprehensive, and ever-evolving solutions cater to the high-quality audio and communication technology needs of markets globally, including transportation, healthcare, corporate, industrial, government, hospitality, education, and house of worship. Technologically advanced, expertly engineered, and highly marketable, AtlasIED’s products and systems deliver mass communication, high intelligibility announcements, IP-based visual and audio communications, distributed audio, background music, paging, and sound masking solutions to commercial projects of every size and scope, including those which are mission-critical. Family-owned, the company’s nine locations and a well-established network of experienced manufacturer representatives and distributors throughout the world ensure exceptional customer support and service to drive continued growth and advancement of the commercial audio industry.
For more information please visit www.atlasied.com, and follow the company on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
AtlasIED Media Contacts
Gina M. Sansivero, AtlasIED, (516) 901-8542, gina.sansivero@atlasied.com
Katye (McGregor) Bennett, KMB Communications, (425) 328-8640, katye@kmbcomm.com
All products, product names, trademarks, and registrations mentioned are the property of their respective owners, all rights reserved.
by KMB Communications | Oct 15, 2021 | D-Tools
Release version 17 of D-Tools’ award-winning System Integrator software enables companies to better track labor utilization with job costing and project profitability.
CONCORD, CA (October 5, 2021) — D-Tools, Inc., the worldwide leader in data-driven software for electronic systems contractors, today announced the availability of System Integrator version 17, which adds long-awaited functionality and reporting capabilities across its award-winning, end-to-end solution. Valuable new enhancements help businesses better track employee utilization, project performance, and key financial metrics.
“Expanding SI’s project time tracking capability to a comprehensive timekeeping module enables detailed and accurate job costing. With precise job costing, SI can auto-generate labor utilization reports, calculate revenue earned, and display overall backlog,” said Randy Stearns, CEO of D-Tools. “At the request of customers, we’ve also made key improvements to catalog management, component ID naming conventions, and the Gantt chart, enhancements that will put a smile on the face of power users and new users alike.”
Product enhancements in System Integrator v17 include:
Timesheets Enable Key Business Metric Reporting
Beyond tracking time associated with a given task, D-Tools SI now offers comprehensive timekeeping functionality. Timesheet data can be exported for payroll purposes, but more importantly, it can be used to track actual vs. budgeted labor hours and labor costs, which provides a number of downline benefits.
New views in Business Analytics based on approved timesheet entries provide an instant understanding of project status and team performance, while providing better tools for effective decision-making:
- Job Costing allows integrators to track actual project costs on labor and equipment for revenue recognition purposes, thereby providing visibility into whether a given project is under-, on- or over-budget. Job cost analysis can be viewed by project and by phase.
- Labor Utilization Reports displays billable vs. non-billable hours and can be viewed individually by employee or collectively by labor type in an effort to monitor and maximize team performance.
- Project Revenue calculates revenue earned on a project-by-project basis within a chosen date range.
- Backlog calculates the revenue yet to be earned for a given project, a group of projects, or across all active projects.
Catalog Enhancements Expedite Product Data Management
Manufacturer Aliases match up data in cases where variants exist in a manufacturer’s name between your product catalog, vendor price lists, the D-Tools Product Library, and other data sources, preventing errors and redundancies when updating your catalog, and making it substantially easier to merge data from multiple sources.
Similarly, default phases in the D-Tools Product Library can now be mapped to user-created phase names to avoid the need to overwrite them.
Component ID Overhaul Provides the Ultimate Flexibility and Customization
Now, with the ability to customize component IDs relative to the number and size of the parts and use of separators, SI users can develop labeling schema that meets their unique preferences, or as may be mandated by a project, specifier, or industry standard.
Every catalog entity including products, packages, labor items, and more can now have its own Component ID format.
Project Management Updates Streamline Processes and Promote Clearer Communication
Improvements to Gantt chart functionality, including the ability to move or copy Planning Tasks, export to Excel to better enable sharing, and quickly edit tasks and start/end dates in the Gantt View allows project managers to better map out project execution details. In addition, there is a new option to select the date when adding or inserting Planning Tasks.
New Scope of Work reports and instructions help improve communication of a project’s intent and requirements to technicians, project managers, and engineers.
Tap into Additional Resources with Custom Fields Enhancements
Hyperlink Custom Fields added to products, projects, tasks, service orders, and service plans allow users to add links to save time and gain immediate access to web pages, product information, or project documentation.
Today, more than 7,000 system integration companies in over 90 countries use D-Tools System Integrator to drive sales and substantially improve operating efficiency by streamlining the entire project workflow – including estimating and proposals, system design and documentation, procurement, project management, installation, and on-going service – all through a data-driven process that leverages an extensive, integrated product library.
To see how D-Tools System Integrator can deliver profound visibility and results, visit them at InfoComm at Booth #1625 or sign up now for a free, personal online tour by visiting http://d-tools.com/live-demo-webinar/. A free 30-day trial of D-Tools can also be downloaded anytime at http://d-tools.com/hosted-free-trial-signup/.
About D-Tools, Inc.
D-Tools is a worldwide leader in accessible, highly accurate business software that caters to the unique and diverse needs of systems design and installation firms. The company’s on-premises software, System Integrator (SI), and cloud-based platform, D-Tools Cloud, are robust solutions that help manage all aspects of an audio visual or security system integrator’s business, including sales, comprehensive system design, project documentation, procurement, and installation and field service management. Today, nearly 7,000 companies in over 90 countries use D-Tools’ award-winning software to streamline business processes, leading to improved operational efficiencies and increased profitability.
Find product updates and related information by following D-Tools on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Media Contacts
Tim Bigoness, D-Tools, (925) 270-4102, timb@d-tools.com
Katye (McGregor) Bennett, KMB Communications, (425) 328-8640, katye@kmbcomm.com
All products, product names, trademarks, and registrations mentioned are the property of their respective owners, all rights reserved.
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by KMB Communications | Sep 20, 2021 | Leon Speakers
“Detroit Vibrations” painting series from Mike Han was created exclusively for Leon as part of a new Artist Edition Collection for its Ente SoundTile
Ann Arbor, MI, September 20, 2021 – As a company with strong roots in the arts, Leon is always looking to support artists both near and far, and when Noah Kaplan, Leon’s founder and president, discovered the work of up-and-coming Detroit artist Mike Han earlier this year, he knew immediately that he wanted to collaborate to bring Han’s work to Leon’s audience.
Launching today, the Leon x Mike Han collaboration is a series of three paintings titled “Detroit Vibrations” that was created by Han exclusively for Leon. The pieces are being released as Leon’s latest Artist Edition Collection for the Ente SoundTile, a product that combines art and audio in one. In addition to being available for the Ente SoundTile, “Detroit Vibrations” will also be sold as limited-edition art prints on Leon’s website.
“What I love about the vision and mission of Leon at this stage is that we’re really about enabling artists to tell their stories, and we want people to be able to experience those stories in a new and different way,” said Kaplan. “Mike Han’s work has a natural musicality to it and when I saw it for the first time, I knew it would be a perfect fit for our Ente SoundTiles.”
Leon’s Ente SoundTile transforms the stereo system from a speaker into a work of art. Two channels of reference-grade audio and an amplifier are concealed behind a perforated metal speaker grille with an artwork screen printed on top. The sound tile mounts directly to the wall, appearing more like an art piece than an audio component.
While art for the tiles can be sourced from online art galleries like Rosentiels, Leon also works with artists to create exclusive Artist Edition collections for the series. Initially debuting with a selection of iconic fine art photographs from music photographer, Roberto Rabanne, the latest Ente SoundTile Artist Edition Collection is the three Mike Han “Detroit Vibrations” pieces that can be arranged as a triptych, diptych, or as standalone pieces.
A Korean-Detroit artist, designer, and self-described “modern vandal,” Han’s work is bold, drawing influence from the work of Keith Haring, classic graffiti from the ‘80s and ‘90s, and Korean calligraphy—but with a contemporary and playful touch. “A lot of my work starts with a character, a small piece, one line that builds upon the next,” said Han. “I don’t predetermine the outcome, but I find it through the process of creation.”
For more information, visit https://www.leonspeakers.com/mike-han. Watch a video about the collaboration here: https://youtu.be/0VR5_nA1Xz8
Download press images
About Leon Speakers
Leon brings a creative approach to the A/V industry by designing and manufacturing customizable speakers and technology concealment solutions that enhance the sound and style of any space. For almost 25 years, it has been a leader in the conversation on merging design with technology, creating innovative products that serve both the Residential and Commercial markets. Learn more at www.leonspeakers.com or by following @leonspeakers on social media.
Media Contacts
Press Contact: Katye (McGregor) Bennett of KMB Communications, (425) 328-8640 or katye@kmbcomm.com
Company Contact: Danne Dzenawagis, Marketing & Communications Manager at Leon Speakers, (734) 926-4088 or danne@leonspeakers.com
by KMB Communications | Sep 1, 2021 | Trade Show news
Screen Innovations demonstrates its dedication to the success of home systems integrators involved in the motorized shade and screen business by introducing a host of problem-solving new products at CEDIA Expo 2021. Always striving to make integrators’ jobs simpler and more profitable, SI drew inspiration from its network of systems integrators to develop technologies, products, and systems that overcome common challenges in the field effectively and efficiently, while providing end-users with beautiful, convenient, and fun smart home environments.
Whether it was an integrator’s wish for a simpler means of programming; sleeker, smaller motorized shade and screen cassettes; or more affordable installation hardware and software, SI listened, quickly pivoting to engineer and design the ideal shade and screen solution. By catering to the specific needs of its integrators, SI has carved a niche for itself, as a manufacturer that focuses its energy on providing integrators with meaningful products that make a real difference in the design, installation, and profitability of motorized shade and screen projects.
“SI is more than just a supplier, they are a partner that not only encourages suggestions from us but brainstorms with us to develop new products with one specific goal in mind—to help our business grow,” says Matt Uhl, owner of Gulf Coast Shades & Blinds, Pensacola, Fla. “It’s so refreshing to work with a manufacturer that’s open to discussion and builds the types of products we need to do our job better. The entire team at SI really cares about our success and time and again does whatever they can to help.”
It’s this open line of communication with integrators that has helped SI move consistently up the ladder as a leader in the motorized shade and screen market. Recognized this year as a Bullet Brand in CE Pro’s annual Brand Analysis Report, SI now commands second position in the motorized shade category and first in the motorized screen category.
“Despite a rocky pandemic-ridden 2020, we never stopped listening to our integrators,” says SI CEO Ryan Gustafson. “They are the reason we do what we do, and our top priority has always been to develop the types of shading and screen products they want. They tell us what we can do to improve, and we take their suggestions to heart.”
SI’s CEDIA Expo Presentation in Booth #5212 will include a range of indoor and outdoor entertainment and ambiance-enhancing solutions, including:
NEW Outdoor Entertainment Pavilion Featuring Shades and Screens
Outdoor entertaining is a hot trend that integrators, designers, architects, and homeowners are clamoring to capitalize on. SI has dedicated a 10-by-10-foot section of its CEDIA exhibit to shade and screen solutions that create comfortable, enjoyable outdoor environments. Within a custom pergola, SI will demonstrate a variety of motorized outdoor shades that turn decks and patios into year-round living spaces featuring SI’s next generation of outdoor projection screens that bring the excitement of home cinema to the backyard and beyond.
SHADES
NEW Zen 2 Design-Inspired Outdoor Motorized Shade Cassette
The first décor-minded outdoor shading solution, Zen 2 boasts an elegant, customizable, architecturally friendly design that effortlessly transforms decks, gazebos, patios, and other outdoor areas into comfortable, stylish living spaces. Zen 2 finally gives architects and designers an option that seamlessly blends into today’s home designs, thanks to a custom paintable, primed option for a perfect color match. Accommodating popular outdoor shading fabrics to 25 feet wide and 16 feet tall, Zen 2 includes everything needed for a complete installation. Another perk: Zen 2 installs in half the time of other outdoor shading systems, thanks to its unique snap-in tube and hidden bracket attachment.
NEW Fabric Wizard Ensures the Perfect Fabric Choice
To help guide integrators, designers, homeowners, and end-users through the fabric selection process, SI’s new Fabric Wizard provides one convenient place to learn about and quickly and easily determine the best shading fabric for any indoor and outdoor application.
More than 850 indoor and outdoor fabrics and insect screens from leading designer shade suppliers, such as Phifer, Mermet, Serge Ferrari, Wilson, and more, have been thoughtfully categorized according to the installation location, function, color, and other parameters, significantly streamlining what could otherwise be an overwhelming and complex exercise. SI’s Fabric Wizard starts by asking website visitors to identify the purpose of the shade, be it for UV protection, privacy, heat reduction, glare control, or insect prevention. Based on those answers, as well as color preferences, Fabric Wizard cultivates a manageable list of the most appropriate fabric choices. Integrators can present these options to their customers, confident that whichever material is selected will look and perform optimally for the intended application.
PROJECTION SCREENS
NEW Outdoor Projection Screen Options
SI offers those attending CEDIA Expo a sneak peek at its new outdoor screen cassette, Solo Outdoor. Expected to ship Q4, the weather-rated Solo Outdoor cassette features a small form factor and a zipper track and a high-wind rating that keeps the fabric taut even in challenging conditions. Also showcased in SI’s outdoor pergola is its Maestro outdoor-rated screen material, and 360, an outdoor screen material that can be viewed on both sides. These outdoor screen solutions will be paired with the latest Epson video projectors.
SI’s focus on outdoor shade and screen applications at CEDIA Expo inspires integrators to explore the outdoors when engaging with customers. SI’s range of options and ability to customize its products to suit the specifications of any job ensure integrators that they’ll have everything they need to succeed in the outdoor shade and screen business.
ACCESSORIES
NEW Troy IP Control Gateway Simplifies Shade and Screen Programming
The Troy IP Control Gateway enables integrators to program the movement of motorized shades and screens efficiently, simply, and affordably. A task that once took hours to accomplish on a dedicated windows PC, with multiple software applications for keypads, RF remotes, and motor configurations, now takes a few minutes from any standard web browser. Through Troy’s programming interface, shades and screens can be assigned unique ID addresses, particularly useful when grouping products together and delivering repeatable designs, like those for MDU installations. In a similar fashion to shade and screen configuration, Troy walks integrators through the process of assigning commands to specific buttons on keypads and handheld remotes.
NEW Kratos Low-Voltage Power Supply Breaks Cost Barriers
When Matt Uhl, owner of Gulf Coast Shades & Blinds, approached SI president Ryan Gustafson about the need for an affordable power supply for low-voltage shades and screens, SI immediately went to work, introducing Kratos a few weeks later. Although dramatically less expensive than SI’s flagship Janus power and control hub, Kratos sacrifices no build quality or operational performance. The durable steel chassis runs cool to the touch and is plenum-rated for in-wall, riser, and general plenum installations. Plus, each of Kratos’s eight ports is protected against electrical shorts and mis-wiring. As an ideal complement to SI’s Zigbee 3.0 low-voltage motors, at a suggested retail price of $389, Kratos gives integrators a complete, turnkey low-voltage shading solution as an alternative to hardwired 485-based shading designs.
NEW Fontus Dongle Enables Two-Way Power and Control Over Two-Conductor Wire
SI introduces integrators to Fontus, a revolutionary new product that enables SI low-voltage motorized screens and shades to be powered and controlled via any type of traditional two-conductor wiring. SI’s Fontus allows integrators to utilize wire that may already exist inside a commercial building or home to connect screens and shades to a modern control system.
No bigger than a pack of gum and easily mounted to a DIN rail, Fontus can make a two-conductor wire perform 485-based communications as if it were an eight-conductor wire, significantly simplifying the installation. As long as there is a two-conductor wire available near the screen or shade location, Fontus, a dongle that plugs into SI’s new Janus power and control hub, converts low-voltage communications signals and power from a five-conductor system for distribution over two-conductor wire. The signal is decoded for reception at the screen or shade via a second Fontus dongle with no loss of signal.
NEW Janus Power and Control Hub
In the past, integrators have had no choice but to mount huge panels or run conduit to deliver power and control multiple motorized screens. SI’s revolutionary Janus hub, however, can do the job at a fraction of the size of traditional panels, without the need for conduit. Janus is 75% smaller than its closest competitor yet has the capacity to accommodate connections for as many as eight screens and eight accessories, such as keypads. Its ultra-compact form factor combined with huge capacity for commercial and large residential projects sets Janus in a class all its own. Ideal for projects requiring the installation of multiple screens, the expandability of Janus is limitless. It can utilize all wire topologies, even a Cat5 or Cat6 can be run 45.7 meters or more to SI’s largest screen motor.
NEW Zigbee 3.0 Mesh Controller and Edge Router
SI introduces two new products enabled with Zigbee 3.0 technology, the latest iteration of the Zigbee wireless communications protocol. The Zigbee 3.0 Link Pro Z Mesh Controller and Zigbee 3.0 Smart Outlet join SI’s previously introduced Zigbee 3.0 enabled line of ultra-compact Nano indoor shades and improved Smart Plug to create a complete communications ecosystem that seamlessly interoperates with a wide range of Zigbee 3.0-compliant third-party devices and systems, including automation systems from Crestron, Control4, Savant, Elan, and others. Additionally, SI’s new Zigbee 3.0 devices enable the control of Zigbee 3.0 and RTS shades (Radio Technology Somfy) via the Somfy TaHoma app on any smartphone or tablet, as well as voice assistants such as Alexa, Google Assistant, and soon Josh.ai.
To see SI’s entire portfolio of shade and screen technologies and accessories, go to https://www.screeninnovations.com/accessories/?pa_product-category=shade.
Where to See Screen Innovations
To see SI’s new motorized shade and screen, connect with the SI team, and learn how shades and screens can contribute to a more lucrative business model, visit Booth 5212 during CEDIA Expo.
For those unable to attend CEDIA Expo and who would like to learn more about the brand and its offering, please contact sales@screeninnovations.com.
For more information about SI and its growing portfolio of products and technologies, go to www.screeninnovations.com.
About Screen Innovations
Innovative shades & projection screens, making life beautiful, convenient & fun. Dedicated to developing the most innovative and design-forward projection screens, window covering, and outdoor shading and screen solutions for home and corporate environments, Screen Innovations engineers and hand-builds every product it sells in its 75,000-square-foot factory in Austin, Texas. Always putting the customer first, SI listens, learns, and delivers a wide variety of design-forward products, services, and online tools. Committed to doing its part to limit the company’s impact on the environment, SI follows LEAN manufacturing principles and monitors production processes closely to minimize waste wherever possible. For more information about SI please visit screeninnovations.com and follow the company on social media platforms Facebook @screen innovations, Twitter @SIScreens, Instagram @siscreens, and LinkedIn screen-innovations.
Media Contact
For interviews or reviews of CEDIA Expo please contact Katye (McGregor) Bennett of KMB Communications by phoning (425) 328-8640 or emailing katye@kmbcomm.com.
All products, product names, trademarks, and registrations mentioned are the property of their respective owners, all rights reserved.
