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Somfy System's Business Development Manager, Steve Iommi, talks with CE Pro's Lisa Montgomery about how Somfy motors and motorized window treatments integrate as a part of an energy management solution in a home automation system


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Since CE Pro broke the news on Crestron Prodigy, we've had an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at the new low-cost control system from the company best known for pricey products.

During a recent tour of Crestron, led by CEO and founder George Feldstein, I got to see all of the little goodies that will comprise a Prodigy home automation system.

First of all, Crestron wants to make it perfectly clear that the company did not launch Prodigy to "go after" Control4 or any other low-cost home automation provider, according to executive VP Randy Klein.

"We developed a line that is consistent with what we've been doing," he says. "Prodigy broadens the market."

Klein acknowledges that some Crestron dealers also offer lower-cost lines. "We would love to have them use us," he says.

Klein believes Crestron can beat out other players in the world of affordable automation because of the company's heritage.

Lutron appears to have solutions for controlling all of the up-and-coming green lighting options.

At CEDIA Expo 2008, the company demonstrated products that control LED, fluorescent, halogen, and low-voltage lighting.

It's all part of Lutron's campaign to "Lead with Lighting Control," says spokesperson Melissa Andresko. "We're helping dealers with high-efficiency lighting and new ideas to help them differentiate their businesses."

High-Efficacy Lighting

At its booth, Lutron demonstrated "all the different light sources allowed in 2012 so people can understand what that legislation looks like," says Andy Wakefield, director of Lutron's Home Systems Business Unit.

• Hi-lume LED driver. This universal voltage dimming driver provides LED dimming from 100% to 1%. Suggested primarily for commercial applications, the product enables LEDs to be integrated and controlled with the rest of a building.
  
  Lutron says that the driver, when used with an LED lighting system, boasts an extended life cycle compared to incandescent and compact fluorescent…

CentraLite is shoring up its wireless offerings for the ZigBee-enabled JetStream lighting control system.

At the CEDIA Expo, the company demonstrated – but did not provide details on -- several new ZigBee-compatible devices that communicate with JetStream.

A ZigBee-enabled door sensor, occupancy sensor and thermostat were part of the lineup. They were all promoted as part of CentraLite's energy management initiative.

The folks at the CentraLite booth would not say who is making the ZigBee devices, but the door sensor and occupancy sensor look like products from UK's AlertMe, which offers ZigBee-enabled devices that are compatible with wireless control systems from Control4.

In other CentraLite/ZigBee news, Lifeware demonstrated at CEDIA an interface that integrates Lifeware's Media Center-based automation system with JetStream.

The integration goes beyond the usual scenario in which a software driver enables you to operate a subsystem through a…

Control4 is coming out with an IP-based hardwired lighting control system.

That's a big deal for a company that is best known for its wireless ZigBee-enabled dimmers and switches. It puts Control4 squarely into competition with Lutron, LiteTouch, Vantage, Crestron and other manufacturers of high-end centralized lighting control systems.

Only, Control4's system will cost much less.

Control4 CTO Eric Smith says the company is targeting a price point of about $75 per load with the new system, which will ship some time next year.

"A lot of dealers want to do it [centralized lighting control]," he says. "We're losing some jobs because we don't offer it, especially in commercial."

Smith adds the Control4 product has some advantages over others on the market. For one, it uses Ethernet "so it's really fast," Smith says, noting that some competitive products have relatively slow response times in large systems.

Also, Control4 uses…

Universal Remote Control is getting into the wireless lighting control business – and not just any lighting controls, but specially modified products from Lutron.

The lighting products – modeled after Lutron's Maestro wireless – are controlled natively from current URC wireless remotes. "Every one who bought a universal remote after January (2008) can control these lights," says Mitch Klein, director of research and market development. "The major point is that it is native. Any dealer who knows how to program a URC remote can basically drag in lighting, just like a DVD."

Klein says that URC "looked really long and hard" at other RF technologies like ZigBee and Z-Wave, but decided on the Lutron partnership.

"Why make an interim change?" Klein says. "We have a reliable, robust narrowband remote [line]."

Unlike ZigBee and Z-Wave, Lutron's wireless technology is a one-way solution, which means that…

Some exhibitors try to keep their hot CEDIA Expo news under wraps until the first day of the show.

Unfortunately for them, it doesn't always work out that way.

The following products were revealed through various leaks from dealers and the press. Although I knew about most of these in advance, I have been sworn to secrecy. So what is revealed here is information culled from the public domain.

Stay tuned for all the late-breaking details at CEDIAnews.com.

In the meantime, please share any secrets of your own (and win a prize from Sanus).

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Proficient Audio - Receivers

Proficient Audio is adding 7.1 receivers to its lineup of whole-house audio solutions. The flagship M80 will inlcude Dolby True HD, DTS-HD Master Audio, Silicon Optix video scaling and HDMI.
…

It’s much more than the potted plants you see some vendors use in their booths as decorations. Indeed, it’s a symbol from Lutron highlighting the company’s commitment to energy saving lighting control.

The tree is a Cleveland Pear tree adorned with pledges from integrators that will fund energy research. Installers are being asked to pledge $25 of their Lutron co-op funds to Lutron’s green campaign, with proceeds donated to a school to fund energy research. The tree itself will be planted on September 10 at the Denver School of Science and Technology, an institution dedicated to providing a diverse student body with a liberal arts high school education with a science and technology focus.

Some of the dealers have pledged much more than $25, even as high as $250. The total donation, and the school, will be announced during the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Chicago, Illinois, November 7-9, 2007.

Pledge cards, which are printed on recycled paper…

PRESS RELEASE

Salt Lake City, UT (September 6, 2007) -- Today, LiteTouch, Inc., a leading manufacturer of lighting control systems for the residential market announced it will begin shipping a new faceplate later this month. This new faceplate combines the convenience and sophistication of a LiteTouch lighting control system with the superior sound of an ELAN home audio video system.

The new LiteTouch / ELAN Ole XL Combo Faceplate is available in White, Black and Almond finishes in the following keypad styles:

LiteTouch Coastal Keypad with 1 to 5 buttons
LiteTouch Metropolitan Keypad with 3 buttons
LiteTouch Metropolitan Keypad with 9 buttons

This exciting new integration option will be available in September 2007, and is supported by LiteTouch’s Programming Software, LiteWare 3.8. LiteTouch and ELAN are both members of the Nortek Home Technology Group.

About LiteTouch, Inc.
LiteTouch lighting control products offer real-world benefits including convenience, security, time-savings, safety, energy conservation and…