Vantage Unveils Equinox Control LCD Keypad

After doing in-depth research with consumers who have home control systems from different manufacturers, Orem, Utah-based control manufacturer Vantage Controls came to a sobering conclusion: “Most consumers are not happy with their systems, but think their integrators are great guys,” says Andrew Wale, vice president of marketing for Vantage.

That conclusion, Wale says, is being used as a fundamental basis for Vantage’s new line of products, including a 7-inch touchpanel and a sleek programmable single-gang LCD keypad called Equinox Control.

Both units feature a single layer user interface that simplifies control of lighting, HVAC and entertainment systems, while maintaining an aesthetic look that remains consistent across all control devices, including iPhone, iPad and in-wall touchscreens.

“We have changed the interface to focus on the user experience while keeping the dealer in mind,” says Wale. “Homeowners don’t want to have to go through a two-week refresher course to learn how to turn on the lights in the bedroom when they arrive at their vacation home. They have banks of keypads with no engraving on them. It becomes a memory test.”

“They also don’t want touchscreens where they can’t figure out how to change the music in a particular area of the home. One of the tenets of high-end control systems has been infinite programming capability. Hence, you have touchscreens with a morass of icons. It becomes a crapshoot,” he adds, noting that manufacturers and integrators have become so enamored with technology that they program systems that require the homeowner to go “five layers down in a touchscreen to get to where they want to be.”

There are two new interfaces: the LCD, single-gang keypad (Equinox Control) and a 7-inch touchscreen. The touchpanel does not just accept finger-pushes, it also accepts swipes, scrolls and flicks.

There are two versions of Equinox. First is the Equinox Control, a single-gang user interface that can only show three interface views. It has a small breadcrumb that allows for moving left or right to view a different screen. It’s a single-gang form factor with the capabilities of the three-way switch.

The second version is called Equinox AV. It is also a single-gang unit, but it offers the same performance as a touchscreen and requires an Internet connection because it provides full metadata. It is not limited to three views and can represent any of the widgets in a touchpanel by scrolling.

“They are designed to operate in conjunction with iPads, iPhones and in-wall touchscreens,” Wales says. “Not to replace them.”

Dealer, User Programmable
With Equinox, integrators are still able to differentiate themselves at the programming level, but now they can present control layers in a much more concise way. Fundamentally, navigation is being kept at one or two layers. Also, the same icons/imagery and navigation methodology can be maintained across all in-wall and mobile devices.

Finally, the system allows for the optimized use of widgets or small pre-programmed software applications that will give the dealer a more prescribed way of presenting the interface. Vantage has created 12 basic widgets to start.

The widgets themselves offer information. Instead of just a button that says “Weather” that a user has to push to see any information, the widget itself already shows enough information that 9 times out of 10 is going to be all the homeowner wants to see. If a homeowner wants more detail, he can touch the widget and get another level. Also, the information is customizable by the homeowner using the widget.

“So the homeowner can make those changes himself. He does not need to call the dealer in,” says Wale. “For example, if you want London and Paris on your base weather widget, you can do that yourself. For lighting, you can change the base lighting level yourself. It’s a feature that homeowners will embrace. Dealers will embrace it too because they are fostering more control for their clients.”

Wale says dealers will likely configure the screen views for Equinox based on where it is in the home. For example, if it’s the family room, the screen will likely show A/V control as the default. If it’s in a bedroom or office, perhaps lighting.

All products are completely programmable using Vantage Design Center software and compatible with Vantage’s InFusion control and lighting solutions. The price point for Equinox control is the same as a docked iPod touch at $500. Vantage showed the product in Amsterdam at the ISE event in February. It is due to release in either Q4 2012 or Q1 2013.

“Dealers love this because they are struggling with iPad, iPod," he concludes. "They don’t make money on those.”