Articles and whitepapers

2/6/2003

Hiding it Away

By CEDIA

Almost uniquely in technology, home automation is required to hide its light under the proverbial bushel. People who buy into it, buy into what it can do, not what it looks like. They want the convenience it offers but are not interested in looking at a box of electronic 'whatevers.'

Home automation is bought for the convenience of the house owner, not necessarily for the sake of showing off to friends, and custom installers must embrace the idea of discreet installation as a keystone of their work. They often work in expensive and beautiful homes where the system is being retro-fitted after decoration. So how do they choose the way that they install home automation, and how do they make it all work largely without it being visible? The answer is cabinetwork, invisible wiring and a great deal of ingenuity.

Screens

One of the largest and most visible parts of the home entertainment system is the screen. This can either be a large flat LCD panel, a projector screen or a rear projector. Which of these is chosen depends on several factors. If the room is very bright then a plasma panel or rear projection screen is often the answer. If the owner is likely to be sitting a long way from the screen, a drop-down motorised screen is probably right, especially if it is predominantly used for showing movies. These screens can retract into the ceiling, completely disappearing from view.

Projector with a fully retractable screen

Sound

Sound is the next greatest consideration. Surround sound is de rigueur, giving a similar experience to going to the cinema. This normally needs five separate channels of sound, with the centre channel appearing to come out of the screen. In the case of a plasma panel, the speaker is usually placed under the screen. But with drop-down screens the sound is projected through tiny holes in the screen, invisible to the viewer.

Hiding it away

Custom installers rely on their expertise to maximise the potential of the house. In one installation performed by a CEDIA member, a bank of amplifiers was stored in the garage directly underneath the speakers in the room above. The installers were even able to build them into locked cupboards to overcome potential security issues. Indeed installers often take advantage of fabric covering on walls to disguise speaker installations, and this has the advantage of making the speakers optically invisible while themselves being acoustically transparent - so you can't see the speakers but you can hear them perfectly.

Control

Control of the system is important, and the current range of remote-control panels is amazing. Not only can they create special moods at the press of a single button, but they can also control everything from heating and ventilation, lights, curtains, sound and vision. So if you're in the mood for love, the system can dim the lights, draw the curtains and play a relaxing CD as well.

Installers will often work with cabinet makers in order to custom design furniture, and this can extend to building custom cabinets to house the sound and screen systems. When appropriate, a 'Media Wall' will be installed, housing a screen to allow rear projection of video or to make sure the components of the system harmonise with the decor. Then the owners get something that not only enhances their life but also blends into their environment.

Cabinet work blending function with form

One of the hardest-to-control features of the whole system is the way it all hangs together. Installers sometimes use wireless communications in order not to disrupt the environment, but the safest and most effective way of wiring a system is by hiding the wires in the walls. Obviously in a new house this is easy, but an existing house is where the installer's core skills are tested to the maximum.

A good installer will plan early, in order to ensure that wiring is not only adequate for current needs, but can also be upgraded for future technologies. This process adds flexibility and ultimately reduces expense. A well-practised installer will collect information from each installation that they do, and will work around a brief in order to realise and augment their client's requirements without minor inconveniences, such as walls or ceilings, getting in their way!

Hiding the wires

This article appears courtesy of CEDIA UK (Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association).

www.cedia.co.uk