Electrical Contracting News (ECN) Smart Homes Supplement 2016 | Page 21

PRODUCTS

WIRELESS FOR SOUND

Lithe Audio has announced the UK launch of its innovative Bluetooth ceiling speakers .
These wireless speakers are a fully integrated , all-in-one solution , meaning that they do not need to be connected to a separate amplifier . The speakers deliver superb sound quality , are easy to install and have IP versions for safe use in bathrooms .
The speaker ‘ pair ’ are wireless via Bluetooth ( the ‘ Master ’ speaker is Bluetooth and the ‘ Slave ’ is connected to the Master via speaker cable ) so you can connect via your smartphone , tablet , TV or PC .
Designed by Lithe Audio ’ s team of specialist home electronic product designers , the frameless speakers only protrude 3mm from the ceiling , and have clever magnetic grill covers which can easily be removed for cleaning or for replacement with a different coloured grill finish . The grill can alternatively be painted with ceiling paint to create a virtually invisible look to these high performance speakers . For further information visit : www . litheaudio . com

HOME COMFORT

Nest ‘ s mission is to create a home that ‘ s thoughtful – one that takes care of itself and the people inside it .
Nest focuses on simple , beautiful and delightful hardware , software and services . The Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest Energy Services keep you comfortable and address home energy consumption . The Nest Protect smoke and carbon monoxide alarm helps keep you safe and Nest Safety Rewards lets you save money through participating home insurance providers , while Nest Cam keeps an eye on what matters most in your home .
Nest products are installed in more than 190 countries . The Nest Learning Thermostat has helped save approximately four billion kWh of energy to date . Through the Works with Nest program , third party products can securely connect with Nest devices to make homes safer , more energy efficient , and more aware . For further information visit : www . nest . com

COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE

Aldous Systems ( Europe ) is a distributor of networking and audio / video equipment to the smart home industry .
Aldous Systems is a trade-only organisation offering products and services to professional installers in the industry . Established in 2002 with a commitment to excellent customer service and a strong engineering background in networking products , Aldous Systems has managed to build a customer base in the UK and mainland Europe and is continuing to research new and innovative solutions for residential and commercial networking .
Product lines currently cover a range of technologies including voice , data , video , audio , CCTV , automation and control . For further information visit : www . aldoussystems . co . uk

HOT STUFF

A new wireless programmer for Electrorad ’ s range of Digi-Line electric radiators has been unveiled .
Named Touch E3 , the new control hub with Wi-Fi gateway and App enables wireless control and direct management of home heating over the Internet from anywhere in the world .
In conjunction with an unobtrusive and easy to use touch screen control unit that may be wall mounted or free standing anywhere in the home , homeowners can control all of the heating functions using a smartphone , tablet or PC courtesy of Electrorad ’ s CleverTouch App that is available for iOS and Android .
Featuring constant and auto programming modes , as well as reduced night setbacks , time override , frost protection and holiday modes , Touch E3 also incorporates an inbuilt energy monitor that provides energy usage data for complete energy management . Multiple zones may also be created within the home .
The CleverTouch App enables the heating status of each room in the property to be seen at a glance ; including the current room temperature , the current heating mode and the thermostat set point . Any room or zone can be simply selected in order to change temperature settings , programs and heating modes . For further information visit : www . electrorad . co . uk

NO BURN OUT

At last it is possible to control LED and CFL lighting with smart switches without flicker or glow or prematurely burning out the switches .
A patented device from Timeguard automatically controls the switch load across a whole switching circuit . It is compact enough to fit neatly through a standard 50mm ceiling aperture once connected , and will work with almost any make of smart switch using time / delay , PIR , audio or photocell activation .
Smart switches are typically designed as direct replacements for standard 2-wire light switches , where there is normally no neutral connection available , and a small current is drawn down through the switched live connection to operate the switch whilst in standby . That was never a problem for incandescent or halogen because the current was too small to have any effect , but it has emerged as a big problem with LED and CFL lighting , which can glow and flicker .
It also protects against another common problem , the high inrush current when LEDs are switched on which can be enough to damage many switches . This means that is effectively boosts the switching capabilities of most smart switches to 200W . For further information visit : www . timeguard . com

ULTIMATE CONTROL

Bringing simplicity and style to the fore , the Equinox range of touch screen control units , from Legrand ’ s Vantage range of home automation systems , feature a high level of functionality with tailored control and automation technologies for the ultimate personalised home environment .
Now featuring increased widgets and improved definition , the Equinox range offers a modern interface that can be controlled on the go , via a smartphone App . Modern interfaces combined with powerful InFusion Controllers seamlessly integrate subsystems and enhance the user experience through the creation of individual profile settings .
The touch screen range is intuitive , easy to use and has been designed with the end user in mind , incorporating both light and presence sensors they can be programmed to respond to ambient light and / or detect the user so that the display is always visible , even in darkness .
The Vantage Equinox 73 provides a three layer user interface , via a seven inch LCD touch screen . Via this large screen , users have the ability to view three widgets at any one time with ultimate control over their environment through the ability to edit and create new scenes . The touch screen unit includes 12 widgets , including lighting , climate , multi-zone audio , cameras , security , and audio / visual . For further information visit : www . legrand . co . uk
21