September 19, 2019 · IntelliVision AI-based Audio Analytics Library for Smart Cameras
IntelliVision Technologies Corp. (IntelliVision), a subsidiary of Nortek Security & Control LLC and a company known for its AI and deep learning video and audio analytics software for smart cameras, has announced the latest release of the IntelliVision deep learning-based audio analytics library for smart cameras and other devices.
The IntelliVision audio analytics library can recognize and classify:
- Smoke/fire alarms
- Glass breaking
- Loud, abnormal noise
“Audio event recognition combined with video analytics gives a more complete picture of a suspicious event in the home or on commercial property,” says Vaidhi Nathan, SVP cameras and analytics, Nortek Security & Control. “A video camera on its own may not pick up a breaking window in another room, and a smoke alarm won’t be noticed until it’s too late if no one is home. However, audio and video analytics working together increases the likelihood that no abnormal event goes undetected.”
The IntelliVision audio event detection library provides analytics for audio events within a radius of up to 50 feet of the microphone and most smart video cameras today come with an audio channel. Future releases will add support for other noises such as shouting, gunshots, baby crying and dog barking.
Related: 14 Reasons Why Your Home Needs a New Security System
September 19, 2019 · LeakSmart Natively Integrates with Control4
LeakSmart, makers of an intelligent leak and flood protection system, announces updates to its native integrations with Control4 Smart Home systems, a SnapAV brand, to create a fully integrated leak detection and protection solution for home, multi-family, hospitality and commercial applications.
LeakSmart is a whole-home system that detects and protects from all sources of potential water leaks. Native integration with Control4 includes LeakSmart’s Cut-In and Snap Valves as well as LeakSmart’s reusable water sensors that are placed throughout the home to detect leaks.
“With Control4 smart homes, homeowners have made the
investment of unifying their lighting, entertainment, comfort, security and
communications for a whole-home solution. However, a devastating leak or flood
could destroy that investment in seconds,” says Larry Waxman, CEO of
Waxman Industries, parent company of LeakSmart. “With LeakSmart,
homeowners have peace of mind and confidence that their homes are protected
from water damage.”
“Water detection is a simple and effective feature that
adds peace-of-mind to any smart home. Integrated into a Control4 system,
LeakSmart products let homeowners actively protect their homes from water
damage with smartphone notifications. As part of our diverse product ecosystem,
LeakSmart integration is another option for home protection in Control4
systems, suiting homes, MDU, and commercial installations,” says Noel
Gouff, VP Business & Corporate Development, at SnapAV.
By adding LeakSmart, homeowners can equip their Control4
Smart Home with leak detection and monitor the devices remotely. With Smart
Home OS 3, homeowners can even “favorite” their LeakSmart devices for
a quick, at-a-glance status providing peace of mind that no unusual moisture
levels have been detected.
“LeakSmart is a terrific solution for many Control4
channel partners, especially home builders, property managers, and hospitality
operators. Unlike disparate smart devices, with LeakSmart, Control4 now has the
capability to take action by notifying the appropriate person(s) and also
restricting water flow – which significantly reduces the risk of property
damage or loss,” says Earnest J. Morgan, Head of Global Residential
Construction & Hospitality Solutions, SnapAV + Control4.
LeakSmart is the leading leak and flood protection system with more partnerships than any other brand on the market and, in addition to Control4, also works with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Google Nest, SmartThings and Wink. Homebuilders and homeowners alike are protected with LeakSmart’s ve-year manufacturer’s warranty when purchased and installed by a professional installer.
LeakSmart has received several industry awards, including being named the Automation Device of the Year at CES, the world’s largest consumer technology show, by the Consumer Technology Association and CE Pro magazine.
September 18, 2019 · Crestron Partners with CoolAutomation
Crestron, the global manufacturer of smart home technologies, has announced a new partnership with CoolAutomation, a developer of HVAC automation solutions to provide native BACnet integration with Crestron Home OS 3. Through the partnership, integrators have the ability to customize the BACnet modules within the Crestron Home app to ensure an intuitive and seamless installation. This solution is perfect for MDU applications where there is a centralized BACnet controlled HVAC system. Instead of manually commissioning each unit one by one, integrators can now deploy thousands of units with one touch using the MyCrestron deploy code concept to install multiple units with from one configuration.
“Having the ability to configure thousands of HVAC devices at one time is a huge advantage for our dealers,” says Michael Short, global residential marketing manager. “Pairing seamlessly with Crestron Home, homeowners are now provided with the same OS 3 climate control feature sets they know and love.”
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September 18, 2019 · Control4 Smart Home OS 3 Adds Google Assistant Voice Control
SnapAV, a leading provider of A/V, surveillance, networking, automation, and remote management products, announces Control4 Smart Home OS 3. This release includes expanded voice control capability through the Google Assistant, integration with third-party smart doorbells through Intercom Anywhere, and a new high-availability automation controller to power large homes.
With Control4 OS 3, the company says homeowners can choose from tens of thousands of devices to create a system that suits their lifestyle and preferences.
Integration with Google Assistant adds to the variety of capabilities that Control4 supports for natural control interfaces, including the Control4 App, handheld remote, wall keypads, touch screens, and more. Google Assistant integration enables homeowners to use an “OK Google” voice command to adjust lights, scenes, blinds, locks, thermostats, fans, and more in their Control4 system.
September 18, 2019 · Luxul Firmware Update 6.5.1
The networking company Luxul has announced a new firmware for a pair of its router products.
Luxul’s new firmware update addresses its Epic 3 and XWR-1200 products, and according to the company, the firmware updates the units’ Router Limits agents to allow for bandwidth monitoring and speed tests.
The firmware also addresses some UI tables with enhancements to the routers’ inline editing functionality.
In addition, the update fixes some minor UI issues.
For more information concerning firmware update 6.5.1 click here.
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September 17, 2019 · Amazon Hi Rez Streaming Audio Service
Amazon Music has announced the launch of Amazon Music HD, a new tier of premium quality music with more than 50 million songs in High Definition, and millions of songs in Ultra High Definition, the highest quality streaming audio available. At just $12.99/month for Prime members and $14.99/month for Amazon customers, or an additional $5/month for current subscribers (Individual or Family Plan), Amazon Music HD makes high quality, lossless audio accessible to all music fans. Amazon Music HD is now available to stream in the US, UK, Germany, and Japan. New subscribers to Amazon Music can receive a 90-day free trial, and current subscribers can try Amazon Music HD at no additional cost for 90 days at amazon.com/music/unlimited/hd.
“We spoke with many artists while developing Amazon Music HD, who were excited about the potential for fans to be able to stream their favorite music, and hear it as it was originally recorded,” says Steve Boom, Vice President of Amazon Music. “From rock to hip-hop to classical and pop, we believe listening to music at this level of sound will make customers fall in love again with their favorite music and artists. As we usher in a new listening experience for our customers and the industry, we’re combining the convenience of streaming with all of the emotion, power, clarity and nuance of the original recordings.”
Amazon Music HD offers users more than 50 million lossless HD songs, with a bit depth of 16 bits and a sample rate of 44.1kHz (CD quality). In addition, customers can stream millions of songs in Ultra HD (better than CD quality), with a bit depth of 24 bits and a sample rate up to 192 kHz.
Amazon Music HD will play the highest quality audio the customer’s device and network conditions will support, and is compatible with a wide variety of devices, including desktop, mobile (iOS & Android), select Echo devices, Fire TV, and Fire Tablets. Amazon Music HD is also compatible with many third-party devices, including most products from Denon and Marantz with HEOS Built-in, Polk Audio, Definitive Technology, Sonos, McIntosh, Sennheiser, and many more.
Related: CEDIA Expo 2019 Reveals the Future of Home Audio
September 17, 2019 · VIZIO Improves Alexa Capabilities
VIZIO, Inc., has announced new support for Alexa voice control options across its line of VIZIO SmartCast TVs to create a better user experience. Previous Alexa capabilities available on VIZIO TVs allowed viewers to power their TVs on or off, change inputs, play or pause programs, and more. With the latest SmartCast updates, millions of users can now also use Alexa to search for movies or shows by title, genre, or cast members – just by using their voice and a nearby Echo device.
According to the company, finding a favorite show is easier than ever. After following the onscreen setup flow and enabling VIZIO’s Alexa skill, users can simply say “Alexa, find the show This is Us” to catch up before the NBC season premiere. SmartCast then displays pricing and video formats across multiple apps, helping users find the right content at the right price. Additionally, users can use their voice to launch apps such as Prime Video or Hulu without their remote to immediately start watching.
“At VIZIO, we are always looking for ways to enhance the entertainment experience and bring more value to our customers. We are thrilled to offer improved SmartCast features not only to new customers, but for current VIZIO SmartCast TV users as well,” says Bill Baxter, chief technology officer, VIZIO. “The timing couldn’t be better with the excitement around fall TV premieres because the new Alexa features give viewers more ways to easily find the content they love.”
September 17, 2019 · Kwikset Joins Control4 Program
Kwikset brand of Spectrum Brands, Inc. – Hardware & Home Improvement Division, a manufacturer of residential security, has announced its Control4 compatibility for its Obsidian Electronic Touchscreen Deadbolt with Home Connect, and the contemporary version of the SmartCode 916 Touchscreen Electronic Deadbolt. The new locks were shown recently at the Control4 booth at CEDIA 2019 in Denver.
In response to increased dealer demand for Control4 compatibility, two of Kwikset’s most popular connected locks have passed Control4 Certification and are now recognized as a partner in the Connects With Control4 program.
The Control4 platform, which operates on the ZigBee protocol, interoperates with more than 14,000 third-party consumer electronics products.
“Our philosophy has always been to create a lock for everyone, whether in terms of style, finish, functionality, or operating platform,” says Nick English,North American sales manager, residential access solutions, Kwikset.
September 16, 2019 · Savant and One Firefly Partner to Create Integrator-Focused Marketing Campaign
One Firefly, a marketing agency that caters to technology professionals, announced today that it had partnered with Savant to offer an exclusive marketing campaign for their integrators. The campaign, which is ongoing as of August 2019, is designed to help integrators connect with their clients through an integrated digital and physical mailing initiative, promoting the latest features from Savant, including Siri voice control from the Savant Pro Remote.
“This campaign is designed to provide Savant integrators additional resources to help communicate the latest available features to their clients,” explains Angie Larson, vice president of sales operations for Savant. “We are excited to team up with the team at One Firefly to deliver integrator business and marketing tools”
As part of the campaign, up to 1,000 custom-designed postcards will be shipped on behalf of each integrator to their existing client list. The postcard is branded with the dealer’s logo and contact details and will feature beautiful imagery touting the latest Savant features.
Additionally, One Firefly will coordinate a sequence of three emails over the course of the next five weeks targeting the same client list.
These tools are available to all Savant Integrators through One Firefly, with Savant sponsoring participation for all Savant Ambassador level integrators. Savant Integrators who are interested in participating in the campaign will simply need to provide One Firefly will a few simple details to get started.
September 12, 2019 · Luxul Introduces New Cloud Management Solution at CEDIA Expo 2019
Luxul today announced it will be demonstrating its cloud management system in booth #905 at CEDIA Expo 2019. The solution makes it simple for integrators to remotely monitor their clients’ networks, get real-time notifications of failures, and quickly resolve issues.
With cloud management, integrators can access their customers’ Luxul networks and connected devices at any time — from anywhere — in map or list views via an intuitive web interface. Site-level indicators provide the online/offline status of connected devices and the availability of firmware updates, while customizable alerts notify integrators of issues via text or email.
Using cloud management, integrators can configure devices remotely, perform firmware updates on select Luxul routers and wireless access points (AP), and remotely power-cycle PDUs and PoE switches that fall offline. By allowing integrators to handle these simple system management tasks without rolling out a truck for a service call, Luxul says the solution lowers operation costs while delivering a better experience for customers.
