Smart Energy Meters in Home Automation Systems

As expert Home Automation installers we are one of the first people in the country to be able to offer integration between a Crestron/AMX system and a smart energy meter. We can put energy usage on to our touchpanels helping the energy conscious home owner monitor usage. We have great fun showing home owners how our lighting control systems save energy in real time!

Crestron V-Panel Touchpanels launched

e have created a page on the main site with detail of the new super slim, super sexy V-Panels from Crestron. The panel boasts HD video and is compatible with the Digital Media system meaning any source can be distributed and viewed on the touchpanel, it even supports dual HD video windows.
Plugging a USB keyboard and mouse in to the panel allows it to control a centralised computer or Apple Mac (when used with the Crestron Digital Media system). Home Automation doesn't get much more integrated!

You can view the new page here.

Experience 3D Cinema in the Home!

At custom controls we are one of the first home cinema installers in the UK to be able to offer full 3D cinemas. Films like Avatar have really got people exicted about 3D film and products are starting to flood through to enable 3D home cinema in the home. We trialled a 3D projector with special content at one of our suppliers recently and the effect, with polarized glasses, was stunning. Content is limited at the moment but the specification for 3D Blu Ray has just been finalised and Sky TV have a 3D service imminently available.
Get in touch to register your interest in 3D Home Cinema and we will get in touch as soon as installations become viable.

Crestron & Spotify Videos

Dave G has recently created some new videos showing how our new Crestron & Spotify integration works in practice.

Home Cinema Installation

Did you know that as part of our Home Cinema installation service we can manage the whole project from planning to handing over the finished home cinema room? This means you can give us a bare shell and we will work you to design your ideal home cinema. We have relationships with known good tradesmen to handle every aspect of the installation - from plasterers and painters to joinery and carpet layers. We can install a home cinema to any design - from opulence and luxury through to themed - why not watch films from the bridge of Starship Enterprise or from deep within the Batman Cave?
Our home cinema installation service is designed to provide you and your family with the ultimate private cinema room. Contact us for more information. We have loads of examples on the main site too.

Crestron & the new Apple iPad

We have read a lot recently on the new Apple iPad and how it is going to impact the sale of touchpanels from AMX and Crestron. Whilst the iPad looks very good for somethings we don't see it replacing the more usual touchpanels. We were one of the first to embrace the iPhone as a controller (we have some great videos on youtube to prove it) but it quickly became apparent the iPhone was not suitable as the only controller in a room. The iPhone/iPad connect when the application is open - so when the screen goes dark or you access another application it disconnects. This is great for battery life and OK for general web surfing etc but poor when you need an instant response. Connecting to a processor can take a few seconds - lots of information goes back and forth to show the correct screen, volume level, cover art etc. In practice this can mean you are watching a film and the phone rings - you don't have enough time to mute the volume before the answer machine kicks in.
In summary then great for occasional use but not as the only source of control in a home.

Need a Lutron programmer???

As accredited Lutron Programmers - with a national UK presence - we are ideally positioned to program all types of Lutron lighting dimmers from Grafik Eye's to full Homeworks systems. We have lots of references and case studies available demonstrating our work.
If it isn't immediately obvious how you would benefit from a well installed lighting control systems then we suggest you look at our updated lighting control pages on the main site - click here.