The room control product space has become increasingly active of late with a couple of new entries into the market place as well as the disappearance of at least one. In an effort to keep you abreast of the latest developments we take a look at what’s on offer right now.
There has been a definite polarisation of the options for room control interfaces. At one end of the spectrum, the likes of AMX and Crestron continue to drive ahead with higher resolution and fuller featured touch panels. Conversely there is also a trend to develop much lower cost, simpler solutions in the shape of wall mounted keypads. They may not have telephone functionality and built-in cameras, but they are more than adequate for switching sources or increasing the volume of programme sound in a classroom.
As if to confirm the important of this product group in certain sectors, AMX actually acquired ProCon in the autumn of last year, at a stroke adding a range of simple control interfaces and switching products to its already large portfolio.
Another of the key additions to AMX’s armoury was the announcement in January of support for the KNX standard in the shape of a bridge to link its Netlinx controllers with KNX devices. KNX technology is widely used in Europe for control lighting, HVAC, energy management and security.
Finally at the very top of AMX’s product line are the Modero touchpanels, these well featured devices are available in wireless or wired types in sizes from 5.4†up to 17â€. Most recent additions include intercom functionality with other panels in the building, which has now been upgraded to allow VoIP telephony since AMX launched an SIP Communications Gateway to accompany them.
Whilst not completely new to the control market Altinex will be unveiling a completely new departure. Up until recently, the company’s MultiTasker control range has been a modular enclosure range, with accompanying optional interface cards. Control was only via push buttons on the enclosure or via optional remotes. However, at InfoComm the company will unveil new touch screen MultiTouch controllers to interface with the MultiTasker boxes.
Systems must be designed and controlled using Altinex’s AVSnap software with control signals capable of being delivered either via RS-232 or IP. The MultiTouch panels will be available in sizes from 7†to 19â€.
Crestron has also made movements in both the high and low ends of the control spectrum. InfoComm last year saw the launch of the TPMC-8T touch panel series. These feature biometric identity verification, WiFi connectivity and are in themselves capable media players, being essentially a Windows PC running Windows XP. The parallel series of TPS touch panels lack the media playing functions of the TPMC range or the embedded PC acting simply as wired or wireless interfaces.
Also keen to keep up with the keypad competition, Crestron has recently announced new Cameo keypads available in flushmout and standard versions, as well as internationally compatible sizes to fit in European and UK wall-boxes. The Cameo range offers up to 12 programmable buttons, which offer different input options such as single and double tapping as well as holding in the button. As well as being wired over Cresnet, the Cameo system is also available in a wireless version, which utilises the company’s InfiNET distributed mesh technology. This eliminates the need to cable directly to each wall plate.
The latest additions to Cue’s stable of control panels are the touchCUE-8X02 and touchCUE-6X02 they are 8.4†and 6.4†wired solutions aimed at the high-end boardroom and meeting room market. Cue has also included Power over Ethernet (PoE) in the products. The company also offers a range of push button style controllers for more basic installations in the shape of the keypadCUE.
However, breaking out of the touchpanel mould, CUE also offers a product it calls pcCUE and another called pdCUE. The former allows you to access your Cue control programme from any PC running the software, while the latter can run on common PDA models. Further more, it removes the need for a Cue control unit between interface and IP enabled AV equipment using Cue’s Direct Link functionality. The mobile device or tablet PC needs to be connected via IP to the CUEnet network and can then act as a control panel.
A company that has pioneered the platform independent approach is Stardraw. Its award winning Stardraw Control software can be run on any windows-based system supporting the .NET 1.1 framework. This includes ultramobile PCs (UMPC), tablet PCs, desktops and laptops. While this offers great flexibility, it also relies on the integrator to put the rest of the system together. However, newly signed European distributor Comm-Tec has taken some of the pain away by bundling Stardraw Control into its AVIT product offering. This includes a range of touch panels, control interface PCs and Global Caché bus devices to create a complete IP-based control system. The control interfaces are essentially industrial PCs running windows, which provide a bridge between the IP network and RS-232 or IR control protocols, and the additional bus devices mean that the system can also tie into other common automation protocols such as KNX/EIB and LON.
Extron is now well and truly in the control market. It has two different systems offering two levels of functionality. Its simplest solution, MediaLink, is an A/V switching and control solution for a single room running on RS-232 and standard signal distribution methods. Medialink revolves around a central controller, and it’s push button wall controller. The Medialink controller is network-enabled for remote monitoring.
Extron’s PoleVault system is aimed squarely at the education control market. This network enabled system of wall plate inputs and push-buttons integrates a simple source switcher and audio amplifier into the top of a projector mount. The solution is network-based so that a school or university site can be centrally monitored. AV signals are distributed over Cat-5/6 cable, with control via RS-232. Whilst it doesn’t offer things like room booking, if you simply want to switch between a couple of video sources in a classroom and not pay through the nose for it, then it’s ideal. Its input sensing also recognises when there is no signal from the source and switches off the amplifier and projector. PoleVault is also available in a number of standard packages making the procurement process simpler for institutions.
Continuing in the vein of simple systems, Danish innovators Neets offer solutions aimed at both classroom or small conference room. FoXtrot is a cost-effective projector control system for a single IR or RS-232 controlled unit and a motorised screen. It is designed to be built into standard European wall boxes. Slightly more advanced is the Neets Control – EU range. This can cope with 2-6 IR devices and up to 2 RS-232 controllable devices, and has in-built learning functionality for the IR. It can also switch between four inputs and outputs. The EU range is configurable via LAN, thanks to its 10/100 network connection.
Vity returns us to the more traditional control concept. The French manufacturer produces a range of push-button and touch-panel controllers, which couple with a number of BUS interfaces. The control system focuses heavily on the use of the EIB standard, but media bus controllers are available for RS-232, KNX and also relay control. The company’s range of controllers consists of the Vimaty and Tactum series. Vimaty comes in a number of models with the media bus controllers built in. You can therefore control EIB or RS-232 based products directly without the need for the MBC units. Origination of the initial control programme is performed on a PC, before it is transferred to the panel via a compact flash card.
Tactum panels are more advanced, featuring a built-in 500Hz processor, which allows them to run most simple windows software and connect via WiFi to a LAN. It can also interact with Vity’s MBC controllers wirelessly.
There are still a large number of different approaches to control problems. The simplest solutions still rely on IR or serial control to govern one or two devices. The very fact that the larger manufacturers such as Extron and AMX have invested in such simple, push-button solutions demonstrates their belief that these continue to play a role.
At the mid- to high-end of things, as with much of the rest of AV, IP is emerging as the de facto standard. AV control solutions are also finally waking up to the existence of much older, established standards for controlling other services such as HVAC or blinds – hence a spate of announcements for support of protocols such as EIB and KNX.
There is also the beginnings of a move away from the dedicated control panel. At first glance it might seem more applicable to the residential market – using your iPhone to operate your domestic AV system makes more sense than allowing employees to do the same in a boardroom. However, manufacturers are slowly getting used to the idea that buying a branded touch panel might not be as attractive as sourcing one of the hundreds of UMPCs on the market at a fraction of the cost.
Even if this does take hold, the call of the total solution is a powerful one, even those who have broken out of the Extron / AMX / Crestron hegemony are essentially offering a similar proposition by bundling control software, panels and bus interfaces together as a single offering.