Story by CEDIA:
How They Did It: Intuitive & Sophisticated
Feb 03, 2014
VIA International of Glenwood Springs, Colo., created an expansive system that featured multiple entertaining spaces within the home while remaining conscious of wall clutter and user-friendliness. Their work earned the Level VI Bronze Technical Design award for Integrated Home in CEDIA’s 2013 Electronic Lifestyles® Awards competition.
The System:
For this 18,000 sq. ft. home and separate guest house, VIA International installed a Crestron control system backbone with Digital Media (DM) video and audio distribution. The entire audio and video system is distributed via fiber optic cabling, ensuring signal integrity over long distances without electrical interference.
All 22 video displays in the home are full 1080p HD and 3D-capable. The audio and video sources – including Blu-ray, CCTV, DirecTV, gaming consoles, streaming internet audio and video, and satellite radio – are controlled via three roaming Samsung 10” Android tablets or by one of the 22 handheld Crestron TPMC 3X touchscreen remotes.
In addition, two home computers can be accessed through the Digital Media video distribution from any video location. There are also five video locations where wireless USB keyboards and mice are available to control the distributed PCs through the Digital Media connections.
The main home and guest house feature 34 audio zones, plus additional exterior and pool landscape audio zones. The system also features a Lutron lighting control system and 98 wireless Lutron motorized shades.
The control system is also integrated with the security system, electronic door access, fireplace control, and the HD video surveillance cameras that are integrated with the video distribution. Two main media rooms include Steinway Lyngdorf audio systems, while one boasts a 103” plasma and the other a DPI HD/3D projector with screen.
VIA provided power management and protection via 2 ExactPower PowerCore systems, and the company can remotely access, manage, and troubleshoot the system using their exclusive Home Manager. This allows for preventative maintenance and advance scheduling of software and firmware updates, while also allowing the client to remotely access and manage the home via PC or tablet.
Challenges:
Challenges included retrofitting the fiber optic cabling to all video locations in a partial remodel with a short timeframe for completion. VIA also overcame challenges with integrating the Lutron shades. And with a high number of teams working on the project – including some out of state – coordination with designers, architects, and subcontractors was a challenge in and of itself.
One of the keys to executing the project, according to VIA, was their design and project management team, which collaborated with the interior design team, architect, and builder to ensure that the technology was incorporated in an elegant and low-profile way. Thoughtful design enabled VIA to deliver such a large and complex installation in a way that was reliable yet still prepared to handle emerging technologies such as UHD video.
Project Partners
Architect
Charles Cunniffe Architects
Aspen, CO
(970) 925-5590
Interior Designer
Pembrooke & Ives
New York
Builder
Hansen Construction
Aspen, CO
(970) 920-1558
For more on this and other award-winning projects, check out the Winter 2014 edition of CEDIA’s Electronic Lifestyles® magazine. Order now orview the digital edition.
PLUS: The 2014 Electronic Lifestyles® Awards competition is now open! Get the details at cedia.net/awards.