Crestron Wants to Make Home Automation Easy
Crestron is pulling out all the stops to connect all electronic items in your home so you can automate their management. To date, they can manage your lighting, security, AV, home climate and some kitchen appliances. If I miss anything, it is just a matter of time before they can connect to it. Crestron is even making it easier for integrators to design and program your home automation solution with new software.
One of Crestron’s big launches this year was AirConnect, a wireless solution based on Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. AirConnect allows you to personalize your room settings on a room-by-room basis. You can change the shades, temperature, lighting and entertainment settings; all these can be done from your smartphone or tablet – this is NFC enabled.
Video source:wsj
If yours is an Apple home then you cannot use AirConnect yet, you have to wait until NFC is supported. However, Apple Airplay is another solution that works with Crestron Sonner to stream audio from an iPhone, iPad or Mac computer to other rooms in your home. Crestron Sonner is a multi-room HD audio system that works with AirPlay to auto detect audio signals and switches to that source.
Crestron has changed the look and feel of its wall mounted control panels with the introduction of the TSW range of tablet-style touch screen control panels. There is the 5-inch TSW550, 7-inch TSW750 and 10-inch TSW-1050, which offers ultrabright high resolution graphics, streaming video and built-in Rava SIP intercom for two way communication and VOIP telephone all covered in a edge-to-edge glass. You can also view HDMI sources on the TSW display from a Crestron DigitalMedia system with the optional DM Streaming Output Card.
Moving your drapery, blinds and shades got even quieter with Crestron Quiet Motor Technology. The Crestron motorized shades are silent and can be operated from Crestron control products such as it’s remotes, keypads, smartphones apps and wall mounted controls.
Crestron now has kitchen appliances among its list of controlled systems. Now you can monitor, manage and control Sub-Zero and Wolf Appliances range premium refrigeration and cooking equipment from Crestron touch screen, handheld remote or Apple and Android mobile apps. You can lower temperature when away, adjust behaviour based on the time of day.
The home integrator hasn’t been left out of this new range of home automation solutions. The Crestron Home Designer Software provide everything an integrator needs to create incredible touch screen GUIs that enhances the your home automation interactions and reduces programming time. Home Designer supports Adobe Air, HTML5, H.264 video Core3 UI. It supports Universal Upload, which allows just one project to be uploaded to all devices, PC, Mac computer, Apple iPad and iPhone.