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Savant has announced that the new SmartSystems platform will be replacing Rosie and Protégé. This new platform will include smart content streaming and HDMI 1.4. See full information below in an article from CEPro.com and stay tuned for more information about the new platform from this intelligent control company.

Source: CEPro.com

Advancements in digital media and a new system design are just two of the big reasons why Savant announced its new SmartSystems platform last week, replacing Rosie and Protégé.

“It was created based on the desire to build the next generation platform for new media, incorporating smart streaming content and HDMI 1.4,” says Jim Carroll, president of Savant.

Check out this short consumer-oriented video to give you a glimpse.

In the heart of New York City’s affluent SoHo district, Savant has constructed an 8000 square foot showcase Experience Center.The two fully automated spaces—one with a commercial focus and the other residential—will enable Savant to show prospective clients how the company’s control and entertainment systems integrate seamlessly into a real-world home setting.

Source: Lisa Montgomery

Last month I visited the Savant Experience Center in New York City. It blew me away, to put it mildly. The place is packed with technology—most of which is centered around Savant’s friendly and powerful Apple-based automation system. Located in a building that was once home to the Singer sewing machine facility, the entire 8,000-square-foot space, which occupies the third floor, had to be gutted to better accommodate the technologies that would be incorporated, and to evoke the look and mood of a swank NYC condo. The end result is a marriage of high-tech and high-style, where floorstanding speakers, wall-mounted TVs and iPads befit the cool, contemporary design.

At Electronic House we focus our attention primarily on the engineering, programming and tailoring of a home’s electronic systems. But I felt in this case, it was time to give kudos to one of the pros who created such a beautiful backdrop for Savant to showcase its products, in this case, “celebrity” interior designer Thom Filicia. Known primarily for his role as the design expert on the series “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” and one of “House Beautiful’s” Top 100 Designers, Thom shared with us his thoughts on technology and how it has had an impact on his designs.

Q: Technology is prevalent in most homes today. How does tech, specifically automation, help or hinder your design goals?

A: Automation provides designers more flexibility. The technology has become more streamlined, so there’s less clutter to deal with. Even the products that are left out in the open can be really beautiful and add to the overall visual of the space.

Q: Do you notice that your design clients are asking for technology?

A: Yes. People who don’t consider themselves to be “techy” are getting excited and interested in having technology in their homes. The fact that systems have become so intuitive, like Savant’s Apple-based automation system, is making it easier for anyone to walk into a home and know almost immediately how to operate everything.

Q: What specifically are your clients asking for?

A: First and foremost, it’s about user-friendliness. Clients also want to ensure that no matter what the technology, it seamlessly integrates into the existing look and feel of their home. And finally, my clients are looking for a way to implement different scenes—to make everyday routines more of an event. Being able to use technology to change the look, feel and functionality of a room is a big plus for both clients and designers—and it’s fun to do.

Q: How does your design philosophy carry through to the Savant Experience Center?

A: The whole concept of that space was to seamlessly implement advanced technology throughout, but in a totally sophisticated, comfortable and approachable way. We wanted to highlight the Savant brand while showing clients how it can be integrated into a beautiful environment.

Q: Which products today do you feel are making the biggest impact in interior design?

A: From a technology standpoint, I would say the iPad, for one. No longer do people need to worry about where to put their wall-mounted keypads. They can just grab their iPads and interact with their electronic systems. Also, flat-panel TVs and in-wall speakers continue to really influence design.

Q: What some of the trends in high-tech design?

A: The trend is about discrete, tasteful technology that complements its surroundings-both aesthetically and functionally. It’s not about hiding it necessarily, but more about integrating it appropriately. It also has to be effective and user-friendly. 

What to automate and what to control?

Anything that doesn’t require your direct manipulation in order to acheive the desired result should be automated. The easiest things to automate are related to your environment and or your routine. Lighting, heating and air conditioning, background entertainment. Most of us perform streaks of some type everyday. We wake up at the same time, we turn on the same lights, turn on the tv and or stereo, go to the bathroom, wash our face, brush our teeth etc. Where automation comes in to play is having all of those streak components done foryou so you can focus on the manual things such as personal grooming.

Using the above example let’s look at the following routine:

• 5:30am: alarm clock goes off
• you get out of bed, shuffle to the bathroom, turn on the light, wash your face etc.
• 5:40am turn on the bedroom/bathroom radio
• take a shower
• 6:00am
• turn on the kitchen light &
• open the blinds, go to the bedroom to start getting dressed

Using automation you can have all of your lighting routines, comfort routines and entertainment routines happen at the same time.

• 5:20 bedroom & bathroom lights slowly dim up to 10% so they’re as bright as a night light
• 5:30 your whole house audio system plays an alarm to wake you up
• 5:32 your whole house audio system begins to play your favorite radio station or cd in the bedroom
• tells the projection screen to come down in front of the TV
• 5:40 it turns on the audio in the bathroom
• While you are in the bathroom the bathroom lights slowly increase in brightness from 10% to whatever your preferred brightness is so by the time you are out of the shower and ready to shave or put on your makeup the bathroom is as bright as you need it to be. You didn’t have to lift a finger!
• 6:00 Your system automatically turns on the news via radio or TV
• 6:00 the system has also already been slowly turning on the lights in your kitchen so it’s just the way you like it when you are ready to begin preparing breakfast etc.
• Also, from 5:30 onward your outdoor lights have been slowly turning off while the sun had been rising
• Meanwhile, your thermostat has changed it’s settings from your preferred nighttime level to your morning routine. By the time you are ready leave the thermostat has set itself to your preferred away mode.

These little, simple things don’t seem like much but they are a tremendous time saver, a huge convenience and can allow for more efficient use of your energy. It may not seem like much but when you can focus solely on getting ready and not these other little things your time is better managed and you are immediately more productive.

Control

Control on the other hand requires your intervention and is equally important. The simple version is turning on your home entertainment system. Home many of us or our family members have complained because the system is too difficult to turn on. How many of you have to call your kids or the 1 person in the house that knows how to do it for assistance?

With a proper control system you are never more than 2 or three button presses away from exactly what you want when you want it.

A basic control system expectation is to do the following steps: turn on the sound system, turn on the blu-ray player

• turn on the tv
• turn on the sound system
• turn on the blu-ray player
• set the tv to the appropriate input
• set the receiver on the correct input
• start the movie or turn to your favorite channel

Advanced features could go like this: Real world example of a projector and plasma tv in the same room on the same wall

• powering on the system turns the TV & cable box on
• turns to your favorite channel
• opens the blinds
• When it’s time for the big game/show turning on the projector turns the TV off,
• turns on the DVD player,
• changes the input on the receiver,
• sets the correct surround sound mode,
• closes the blinds,
• dims the lights (in your theater/media room)
• and adjusts the thermostat for prime time movie watching!

If you want to get creative, in the kids rooms have the lights flash and an announcement made that the feature presentation is about to begin!

As you can see, there are similarities between automation and control. Many times they overlap and are both great conveniences. The great thing is most automation platforms are great control platforms. Most control platforms are not automation platforms so be careful.