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Inside Savant’s New SmartSystems Platform
Incorporation of streaming digital media and a new 'fan-less' design are two big changes in new control platform that is replacing Rosie and Protégé
The new Savant SmartSystems controller has removed the Mac Mini from inside the controller, which allows the system to run much cooler.
Advancements in digital media and a new system design are just two of the big reasons why Savant announced its new SmartSystems platform last week, replacing Rosie and Protégé.
“It was created based on the desire to build the next generation platform for new media, incorporating smart streaming content and HDMI 1.4,” says Jim Carroll, president of Savant.
Check out this short consumer-oriented video to give you a glimpse.
The system now allows integrators to create a robust digital entertainment system based on the embedded iTunes digital media server to draw content from Apple TV, Airport Extreme, Internet radio, iTunes, Time Capsule, Squeezebox, Pandora, Rhapsody and other digital platforms. The SmartSystems controller can also manage a range of home functions, including lighting, HVAC and security.
“The key differences are that we have separated the host from the control and taken the fans out of the boxes. The new platform is completely fan-less,” Carroll says. “The Protégé and the Rosie System 2 both tended to run hot and loud because they had embedded hosts (Mac Minis) inside. They could not be in the room outside of a cabinet. Now we have separated out the host and with the same quality industrial design. The SmartSystems controller along with the new amplifier we recently released can be placed on a credenza. They don’t have to be hidden.”
Other differences are the ability to add a redundant host, the incorporation of HDMI 1.4, reorganized I/O ports in the back and the elimination of power warts. Instead the system has just a single clean power cord. The host itself stacks 2U in a rack. A complete system with the amp, and other devices can be stacked to 8u.
“This change was really customer driven. We have had no quality problems with Protégé or System 2 and we continue to support those products. Our failure rate is under 3 percent, which is phenomenal,” comments Carroll.
The unit also comes at a slightly lower price point (MSRP under $5,000 vs. System II MSRP of $5,100, with even more dealer margin built in, according to Carroll.
Savant has been taking pre-orders on the product for several months and units are already shipping.
“We have gotten nothing but kudos from the dealer base so far,” he adds.
“It was created based on the desire to build the next generation platform for new media, incorporating smart streaming content and HDMI 1.4,” says Jim Carroll, president of Savant.
Check out this short consumer-oriented video to give you a glimpse.
The system now allows integrators to create a robust digital entertainment system based on the embedded iTunes digital media server to draw content from Apple TV, Airport Extreme, Internet radio, iTunes, Time Capsule, Squeezebox, Pandora, Rhapsody and other digital platforms. The SmartSystems controller can also manage a range of home functions, including lighting, HVAC and security.
“The key differences are that we have separated the host from the control and taken the fans out of the boxes. The new platform is completely fan-less,” Carroll says. “The Protégé and the Rosie System 2 both tended to run hot and loud because they had embedded hosts (Mac Minis) inside. They could not be in the room outside of a cabinet. Now we have separated out the host and with the same quality industrial design. The SmartSystems controller along with the new amplifier we recently released can be placed on a credenza. They don’t have to be hidden.”
Other differences are the ability to add a redundant host, the incorporation of HDMI 1.4, reorganized I/O ports in the back and the elimination of power warts. Instead the system has just a single clean power cord. The host itself stacks 2U in a rack. A complete system with the amp, and other devices can be stacked to 8u.
“This change was really customer driven. We have had no quality problems with Protégé or System 2 and we continue to support those products. Our failure rate is under 3 percent, which is phenomenal,” comments Carroll.
The unit also comes at a slightly lower price point (MSRP under $5,000 vs. System II MSRP of $5,100, with even more dealer margin built in, according to Carroll.
Savant has been taking pre-orders on the product for several months and units are already shipping.
“We have gotten nothing but kudos from the dealer base so far,” he adds.
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Article Topics
News · Video · Digital Media · Home Automation and Control · Control Systems · Digital Media · Savant · Hdmi · Apple Tv · Apple · Itunes · Home Control · Pandora · Internet Radio · Rhapsody · Squeezebox · Airport Extreme · Time Capsule ·About the Author
Jason Knott, Editor, CE Pro
Jason has covered low-voltage electronics as an editor since 1990. He joined EH Publishing in 2000, and before that served as publisher and editor of Security Sales, a leading magazine for the security industry. He served as chairman of the Security Industry Association’s Education Committee from 2000-2004 and sat on the board of that association from 1998-2002. He is also a former board member of the Alarm Industry Research and Educational Foundation. He is currently a member of the CEDIA Education Action Team for Electronic Systems Business. Jason graduated from the University of Southern California.
2 Comments (displayed in order by date/time)
We have a new SmartSystem working in the field. Very happy with it. Recent upgrades in the programming software (Blueprint) have been great. Once they incorporate Home Sharing, it will stand alone in the market.
Savant does a nice job of reiterating their product line. They listen to dealers/customers and move quickly to revise and launch.
Page 1 of 1 comment pages
It sounds to me like they just upgraded to start using the latest Mac Mini. This isn’t ground breaking their OEM changed their product. Except their OEM is really just macmall.com.
Ugly