Connected Home - Home automation control systems & residential technology

How to integrate a PS3

More and more often consumers are asking for more out of their home theatre experience, and next generation games consoles could be the answer.

The IPTV difference

IPTV is changing the face of television, providing different paradigms for operators, broadcasters, content providers and advertisers. Stephen Davies gives an overview of a brand new world that awaits us all.

Powerline-enabled multi-room audio

NuVo Technologies chief technology officer Rick Kukulies reports on the advantages of powerline communication technology and its role in whole-home audio distribution.

OLED TV technology in residential lighting

With next generation HDTV displays looming, lighting manufacturers are racing to turn the technology from OLED TVs into the next generation of light bulbs.

Aiphone has released a new door station with integrated access control keypad, complementing the range of popular JK-series products. The new JK-DVFAC door station is a flush mount, vandal-resistant unit that provides a 170-degree field of view as well as pan/tilt and zoom control for unprecedented visibility and security.

Amplifier	AV Receiver
Blu-ray Player	DVD Player
Flat Panel Display	In-ceiling Speakers
In-wall Speakers	Loudspeakers
Media Centre	Multi-room AV System
Outdoor Speakers	Preamplifier
Projection Screen	Projector
Rear Projection Display	Speaker Packages
Subwoofers	Video Processor

What you need to know


What is an AV receiver?	What is THX?	What is Dolby Digital Plus?	What is Dolby 3D?

Turntable integration
11 November 2009

Vinyl records may be a thing of the past to some, but to others they are a vital part of any home theatre system. Len Wallis explains how to integrate a turntable into a distributed audio system.

A complete guide to lighting control

Powerline-enabled multi-room audio
18 January 2010

NuVo Technologies chief technology officer Rick Kukulies reports on the advantages of powerline communication technology and its role in whole-home audio distribution.

Products - Audio

NAD Electronics C 245BEE four channel power amplifier

NAD Electronics has introduced the C245BEE Four-Channel Power Amplifier, an uncommonly talented installer-friendly amplifier.

Design awards for Loewe
29 January 2010

Two entire Loewe TV lines, Loewe Art SL and Loewe Connect, have been honoured with the renowned international Good Design Award 2009 from the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design.

Products - Video

AC Ryan Playon!HD media player

AC Ryan has commenced shipment of its Playon!HD media player to Australia, allowing you to play all your Full HD media on you HDTV from local storage, external storage, media cards or a home network.

Surround Sounds and Custom merger
03 February 2010

2009 CEDIA award winners Surround Sounds P/L and Surround Custom P/L have announced that the two companies are currently merging into one single entity. The new business will trade exclusively under the long established Surround Sounds Pty Ltd banner.

Products - Home theatre

Da-Lite Arena Electrol projection screen

Available in widths over 39’, the Arena Electrol is the solution to your large venue motorised projection screen needs.

Make walls interesting with Trufig
12 January 2010

Aimed at the design-driven home, Trufig custom installation kits provide consistent colour, texture and industrial design to common wall fixtures such as light switches, electrical outlets and AV wall plates.

Products - Design

Dymo RHINO6000 Label Printer

Designed for cabling professionals, the new DYMO RHINO 6000 Label Printer is loaded with revolutionary features to make professional labelling easier and faster than ever before.

Stealth Acoustics X-series in-wall speakers

Apple launches iPad
28 January 2010

Apple has introduced the iPad, a revolutionary device for browsing the web, reading and sending email, enjoying photos, watching videos, listening to music, playing games, reading e-books and much more.

Products - Home automation

Vantage Controls Energy Management Solution

Vantage has announced a new range of products that provide a complete Energy Management Solution when integrated with its InFusion™ Control System. The centerpiece of the solution is a touchscreen-based energy dashboard that quantifies specific energy usage and enables custom strategies for the homeowner to produce direct energy savings.

HDMI: preferred digital connectivity standard
05 February 2010

Consumer electronics products incorporating innovative new features such as 3D, 4K, and HDMI Ethernet Channel were introduced at the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Products - Comms & networking

Gefen 8x8 CrossPoint Matrix for HDMI v1.3

Connectivity solutions provider Gefen has announced the availability of it's new 8x8 CrossPoint Matrix for HDMI v1.3. This matrix switcher enables direct connections between high definition sources and displays without networking.

A complete guide to lighting control
10 December 2009

From an aesthetic and lifestyle perspective, lighting control allows the homeowner to present their residence in the best possible light, to create a feeling to suit any occasion.

Products - Lighting control

Sontay light level and occupancy sensors

Sontay has introduced two new wall-mounted sensors which provide better light level and occupancy detection performance to drive greater energy efficiency within commercial and public building applications.

Gaming consoles as media centres
11 November 2009

As the average age of the Australian gamer passes 28, games consoles are starting to play a bigger role in home theatre installations.

Products - Media servers

Kaleidescape 2TB disk cartridges for 1U and 3U servers

Kaleidescape has announced disk cartridges for 1U and 3U servers.

Gaming consoles as media centres
11 November 2009

As the average age of the Australian gamer passes 28, games consoles are starting to play a bigger role in home theatre installations.

Products - Gaming

Rhino screen shield

The Rhino Screen Shield can save LCD and plasma TV owners thousands of dollars by protecting their screens from flying game controllers, foreign objects, curious children and pets.

Chief FUSION series wins multiple awards
21 September 2009

Chief's FUSION Fixed and Tilt Mounts took center stage at the CEDIA Expo last week, receiving three industry awards, including the CE Pro BEST Award, the Resi Award from Residential Systems, and Custom Retailer's EXC!TE Award.

How to wall-mount a flat panel TV

Products - Racks & Mounts

Atdec Telehook 3270-UFM full-motion mount

The new range of technologies featured in Atdec’s new Telehook 3270-UFM gives the user ultimate control over their viewing experience and makes it easier to install than most other full-motion mounts on the market.

Cinema seating: Design and layout
11 May 2009

An area often overlooked when designing a home theatre system is the seating design and layout. As Gavin Davids discovers, it’s an area that can make or break the viewing experience.