Lutron Homeworks RF - Wireless Lighting

We have recently being working with the Lutron Homeworks RF solution and thought it warranted a special page on our website (available here). The solution is great for retrofit projects allowing Lutron Mood Lighting without any rewiring.
Lutron Homeworks RF can also be used to easily expand an existing Lutron Homeworks system - maybe an extension needs adding in to the whole house lighting system or rooms which weren't included in the initial installation now need to be.

It's well worth looking at the Lutron RF range if your new lighting control system must be wireless.

Crestron Prodigy Released

We have been lucky enough to have a sneak preview of the Crestron Prodigy range - providing cost effective home automation and multi-room audio yet still giving access to wireless mood lighting and heating control! Impressive to say the least. We have created a page on the main site giving more details Crestron Prodigy Information

Feel free to get in touch for more details or to have any questions answered.

Crestron Integration Award Winning Project - Pictures on our main site!

We now have a full slideshow of the Crestron Integration Award Winning Beetham Tower Penthouse. The press ready photographs can be access here http://www.customcontrols.co.uk/CrestronPenthouseManchester.asp

  Check out the main site for more detail.

AMX HDMI Distribution

We've been catching up on content for the website recently - exciting product releases, case study updates etc. One of the pages we have created is on the AMX HDMI-UTPRO product range - essentially distributing HDMI over Cat5e cable around the home. In common with Crestron's offering's (but not cheaper alternatives!) the AMX solution uses technology to ensure no delays or interruption to existing HDMI streams when switching sources. Sounds fundamental but there aren't many products operating at this level.

You can find more information here AMX HDMI distribution.

This system is great for distributing SkyHD and films either from a BluRay player or a Kaleidescape or MediaMax DVD server.

UK's first Digital Media Install on Crestron.com!

We already knew our Digital Media installation was the first in the UK but we didn't expect Crestron.com (the US website of Crestron Electronics) to make such a big deal of the project! Our case study has taken pride of place at the top of the case studies page (it's rare to even get a case study featured over the water). The write up looks superb and really shows off the hard work (particularly the bespoke programming and touchpanel design) put in to the project.
You can view the case study on Crestron.com here and our own version of the case study here.

Custom Controls wins another Award!

In 2007 we worked with IVC on the iconic Blue Fin building on London's South Bank - home of IPC Media and famous for many magazine publications. We programmed 15 of their meeting and conference rooms.

The IPC headquarters has just been named 'Best Corporate Workspace' by the British Council for Offices! Congratulations to all at IPC and IVC!

Home Cinema Installation in Cheshire

We have just signed the contract on a large Home Cinema installation in Cheshire. The project will feature a high definition SIM2 projector, Bowers & Wilkins loudspeakers and a Crestron control system - both for audio/video and for lighting control.
The project is only just being built so completion will be some time off but detail, and images, will be available on our case studies page asap.
If you would like more information on our Home Cinema Installation and design services please click here.

iLight Lighting Control Installation

We are currently working on a large Ilight lighting control installation near Sloane Square in London, SW1. The project features a huge number of lighting channels and is a retrofit in a home funrished to an extremely high standard. Astronomical clocks control outdoor lighting whilst a mixture of custom keypads control indoor lights.

More detail will be availble on our case studies page as the project evolves (maybe even some installation photos on here too). If you would like to read up on the ilight product range please click here.

Neil Gornall Systems in Liquidation

We at Custom Controls were saddened to hear of the liquidation of Neil Gornall Systems Ltd.
 Whilst we never worked inconjunction with Neill we have been called in to maintain and recommend upgrades to some of his past systems. We welcome home automation companies in the North West, spreading the word and showing people how Home Automation, Lighting Control and Whole House Audio Video can benefit them and their homes.
Feel free to get in touch if you are an ex-NGS customer who needs help!

Home Automation in London & Manchester

We have recently completed two of our best home automation projects to date.

The Beetham Tower in Manchester uses a Crestron control system to automate heating and cooling in the main house and even irrigation in the indoor garden area! Of course, this in addition to whole home lighting control and audio and video distribution.

Our London Home Automation project has precise control of heating and cooling via an iPhone interface. This allows the client to dial up when travelling home and switch the underfloor heating on. The iPhone interface also allows the client to change audio video sources, change lighting scenes and view CCTV images of events at his home.

For more information on our Home Automation installations please click here.

Sky HD Distribution around the Home

One of the main advanatges of our Crestron Digital Media installations is Sky HD distribution around the home. Our clients love the fact they can access recordings from anywhere in the home complete with high definition audio as well as video. We can happily send Sky HD to up to 16 televisions without any drama. Every TV has instant access to Sky HD with no flickering or other handshaking issues.
Check out our Crestron Digital Media pages for more information.

Crestron & Spotify Integration

This is the first version (beta) of our Crestron & Spotify Integration. Search for artists or tracks and either play them instantly or queue them up to play when the current tracks have finished - the world's best Jukebox. All control is done via a Crestron touchpanel meaning the service is available in audio only rooms too. We have done a quick video which hopefully shows the products potential. We also have more detail available here - http://www.customcontrols.co.uk/crestronspotifyintegration.asp

Kaleidescape Collections for your Movie Server

Few people seem to realise that Kaleidescape collections can be a great way to quickly and easily build up a cutting edge film collection. Collections such as the Academy Award Winners contain every winner since 1929 - ensuring a great collection of films. From Gone With The Wind to Slumdog Millionaire the collection contains all the films you really should have seen.

Once imported in to your Kaleidescape Server you instantly benefit from the beautiful interface with albums sorted by Genre, Artist or even run time.

Kaleidescape Collections currently include:

Academy Award™ Nominees Best Picture
Academy Award™ Winners Best Picture
The Criterion Collection™ Catalog
Family Collection
Kaleidescape’s Critics 150
The New York Times Best DVDs
Preschool Collection
Sports Collection

Bowers & Wilkins Panorama Sound Bar

The new Panorama sound bar from Bowers & Wilkins is an exciting product release - designed to sit under a TV the sound bar provides surround sound from one speaker. The sound bar contains left, center and right speakers which allows the viewer to expeience surround sound without the clutter and hassle of multiple speakers. We love to install them in bedrooms and secondary viewing rooms (we still like to install full surround sound systems in main viewing rooms like lounges and home cinemas) to provide a much better experience than speakers that ship with the TV.

Pseudo surround is achieved by bouncing sound off walls - ensuring the sound envelopes the listener.

Crestron Prodigy Announced

Crestron Electronics have just announced a new range of equipment - Crestron Prodigy. The range is designed to be simple to install and affordable home automation. The range looks set to take on the equivalent of Control 4, Systemline & Sonos. As we understand it, integration between Prodigy and the fuller Crestron range wont be possible (although a few people seem to have ideas how integrating the two might be possible) although the entire system works wirelessly ensuring quick and easy installations without propriatry cables.
The Prodigy system should allow a home owner to quickly and easily control lighting and home automation from remote controls and on-TV displays.

Check out the main site for more information as it becomes available. More information is available here!