Articles and whitepapers

Product Article: Ingenium Home Cinema Control (1/3/2007)

By Yolanda Hartshorne, Ingenium

The Arts are essential to society, they add colour and expression to our lives and an escape from daily routine. Those who enjoy music and have a good ear will demand high-quality speakers and hi-fi systems that make the listener feel as if they were immersed in a live concert, and we can now enjoy our own cinema experience at home, thanks to ever-larger TVs.

Of course this world of creativity and fantasy can be further enhanced by state-of-the-art technology that helps to create certain moods at the touch of a button. Amongst the more than 100 products manufactured by Ingenium, a number have been designed specifically for this purpose.

MECBUS for music

For music for example, Ingenium offers a small, blue 2.7" touchscreen called the MECBUS. This discreet, elegant screen allows moods to be controlled, and works well with home cinemas. It supports four sources of audio, such as radio, CD, MP3, and audio from DVD. A MECBUS can be installed in every room of the house, allowing each room to choose which source to listen to, and adjust the volume either on the touch screen with user-friendly icons or with a remote control.

The MECBUS touchscreen controller

MECBUS can be connected to any audio control box via the Sonibus BUSing(r) device, which is also used to connect the audio equipment to the loudspeaker embedded in the ceiling for example. Apart from personalised audio control, MECBUS also allows control of curtains, lights, heating, with up to 16 different mood settings in each room.

The Ingenium MECBUS audio control system

What is BUSing?

All devices from Ingenium, except our SR hidden movement detector, have BUSing incorporated. BUSing is the communications protocol created by Ingenium, which is open to other manufacturers, is royalty-free and can run over IP, RS232, CAN, RS485 and 2.4GHz. BUSing wired requires a cable that contains two wires for power and two for data. BUSing wireless works at 2.4GHz and it has up to 100 channels to choose from to avoid possible interference with other 2.4GHz devices. Wireless BUSing can communicate with wired BUSing, and each node is a master/slave, with no central control box or computer required. Each device can be added as your needs require, when you require.

CGBUS for home cinema control

Ingenium has developed CGBUS as the perfect accessory for anyone's home cinema. Elegantly framed, this blue 5.1" touchscreen which runs on the BUSing system, is connected to the plasma or video projector via RS232 cable using the Ingenium BPC-232 gateway. The BPC-232 is a bridge that controls professional audio visual equipment such as televisions or video projectors using the BUSing system via PDAs, remote controls or touchscreens.

The Ingenium CGBUS touchscreen controller

The CGBUS is a wall-mounted 2D touchscreen, from which you can chose your 99 different 'moods', including one for 'Home Cinema'. The CGBUS can also hold up to ten 2D plans of the installation, each with user-friendly icons to modify as you require. There is the possibility of timing up to 99 scenes, for example, setting the sprinkler in the garden to run at 7pm every Friday (although if it has just rained, BUSing will override your command). The CGBUS also has sufficient memory to run devices in the home when you leave and press the 'Presence Simulation' button. Apart from this, you can control lighting, heating and curtains in each of the ten plans installed, and all by remote control as well as via the CGBUS touchscreen.

Ingenium also offers IRBUS, a small IR receiver which is installed in the ceiling or wall and has up to 99 different possible control options that can be selected using any remote control.

The Ingenium CGBUS controller connected DVD, projector and television via the BPC-232, and to the in-ceiling speaker via IRBUS

Depending what you have programmed to happen, when the 'Home Cinema' option is chosen, either using the IRBUS or CGBUS, the lights will be dimmed, the curtains drawn, the LCD will rise from the furniture, or the projector screen will come down and the film will be played.

Installation requirements

The Ingenium system is designed to be easy to use and easy to install. The wiring will take as long as conventional wiring, as it is usually done at the same time. If it has to be done after the building has been completed, obviously more time will be required, unless a wireless system is used. Once the preinstallation is done, the adding of devices and programming and start up takes relatively little time, perhaps 4-5 days.

To protect the client and to maintain the high quality of product and service that is part of our business philosophy, only a qualified BUSing installer is authorised to install our products. Our distributor in the UK, Smart3 or our head office in Spain, will be able to advise. Likewise, all our manufacturing is done in Spain in order to oversee and control the high quality of our products.

Ingenium manufactures BUSing(r) cable ready for installers, and recommends this in order to avoid extra work or complications. Otherwise, the cable must contain two 0.25mm2 data wires and two 0.50mm2 power supply wires.

Provided the Ingenium ETHBUS option is installed, any required changes after installation can be made by the installer via the Internet, thus saving waiting time and costs.

Conclusion

The Ingenium system has been designed to add comfort, security and design to the home. It is easy to install and program, is user-friendly and adds a touch of glamour with its elegant audio visual controls. The system can be used to control virtually anything around the home, and its modular design means that it can grow with the user's needs. For home cinema applications, it offers the convenience of one-touch control of audio, curtains, lights and TV or projector screen - the only thing it can't do is make the popcorn!

Yolanda Hartshorne is the Export Manager for Ingenium, manufacturer of smart home devices and touch screens for complete solutions.

www.ingeniumsl.com