News

The New DINrail Range from Vantage(8/6/2004)

End 2001 a thorough analysis was made of the European markets. The study showed that the home automation market has different needs on either side of the Atlantic. This immediately led to the development of a completely new range. Only 18 months later Vantage is introducing the latest addition to its product family: DINrail.

DINrail puts Vantage on the same wavelength as most installers in Europe. It does not spell the end of the classic system, but marks a new approach that should make Vantage more accessible. For perhaps most important of all, DINrail is less expensive than the classic system, which is excellent news for those who saw the price tag as an obstacle to the purchase of a Vantage system.

A lower price tag for the same Vantage qualities

Although DINrail is 20 to 25% cheaper, it offers the same familiar Vantage qualities. The DINrail products are just as sound, as ingenious, as reliable as the classical enclosure system. And they also come with a 5-year warranty.

Thus, Vantage adopts the same principle for the DINrail range as for the classical system. Use is made of Plug & Play modules that can be programmed to suit the customer's requirements. Programming also occurs via Qlink(3.5), a user-friendly software written in a Windows environment.

A major advantage: unlike the software of many rival products, both the actual software and the updates are free. What is more, a Vantage upgrade will not upgrade the software but also the hardware of the system. You will therefore not only have new applications, but the products connected to the bus will also be upgraded. In brief, your system remains up-to-date.

DINrail offers another advantage: you can now choose for a centralised system, a decentralised system or a combination of both.

Full compatibility

You might have guessed itÉ Vantage would not be Vantage if it had not geared the newcomer to the classical Qsystem. It is in fact possible to use both lines simultaneously or to extend the classical system with DINrail.

New markets

Koen Pepermans, CEO of Vantage emea, is delighted with the latest Vantage offering: "It is no secret that Vantage has thus far mainly been installed in luxurious villas. DINrail gives us the opportunity to address other sectors and also make Vantage more accessible for other types of projects."

In its attempt to penetrate new markets, Vantage will focus on middle-class houses, but also on office buildings, hotels, commercial buildings. Moreover, the DINrail products are ideal for renovation projects. Existing DINrail cabinets can be reused without problems as they perfectly accommodate the DINrail modules.

DINrail and intelligent buildings

Koen Pepermans continues: "DINrail is perfectly suited for intelligent building projects. Imagine a company with a high-tech conference room. With music, lighting, air conditioning, sun blinds and so on. It is perfectly conceivable for Vantage to look after the complete management via a colour touch screen. Vantage could also control the lighting and the heating of the complete building, including the warehouses. Either automatically or not, or a combination of both. The Vantage range also includes a whole string of sensors - indoor and outdoor light sensors, temperature sensors - enabling each business manager to optimally manage his energy costs."

Energy savings have thus far been one of the main reasons for automation. The introduction of the DINDali interface could change this. This interface is ideal for office buildings where the equipment is often changed about. It allows the lighting in the building to be installed without already knowing the exact location of the walls or desks. Once the layout has been defined, the lighting is addressed, i.e., via the software each lamp is assigned to a specific switch. You can discover more about the Dali interface in our next newsletter.

One thing is clear: with the advantages offered by DINrail Vantage is well under way to conquer the European markets.

DINrail Top-10 advantages in a nutshell

§ Name recognition: Vantage products have a proven track record of efficiency and reliability

§ 20 to 25% cheaper than the classic system

§ Less expensive than rival products that are less reliable

§ Full range

§ Compatible with the classic system

§ Energy saving

§ High level of integration

§ 5-year warranty § Upgradeable

§ No restrictions whatsoever

DINrail technical

In developing the DINrail range, our US engineers have thought of everything.

>Thus, for example, a special clip or pin connector was developed for the bus connection between the modules and the DINrail cabinet.

>All products have the same dimensions. They each take up 9 DINrail modules, except for the DINDali module.

>1 DINrail module measures 17.5 mm

www.vantage-emea.com