Custom Controls Blog

Home Entertainment in Dubai

2012-02-01T05:40:00.000Z

Just took this photo on our Home Entertainment project in Dubai and had to post. This is the kind of thing which makes the job worthwhile (please note the sunlight is absolutely pouring in to the room. It looks great at night or with the blinds down but then the camera phone won't capture the picture properly!).

Home Cinema in Dubai

2011-11-29T04:24:00.001Z

A couple of construction shots of our Artcoustic home cinema in Dubai.

SMX projector screen frame mounted on the wall.

Artcoustic Spitfire 4-2-1 with four subs installed behind screen.

Crestron in Dubai

2011-11-21T07:37:00.001Z

We now have a Dubai based phone number. If you are in need of a Crestron installation feel free to give us a call on our local number - 0553571047. We are currently based in Dubai until mid December after that we revert to the UK numbers.

Dubai Crestron Installation

2011-11-21T07:24:00.001Z

Just a couple of quick images from our Dubai installation - featuring a huge Crestron MultiRoom Audio Video System, Kaleidescape DVD storage, SIM2 projector and Artcoustic on-wall speakers in every room! The final result will be the highest level of AV imaginable and will produce a great case study (Crestron and Artcoustic both poised to photograph!).
We are just starting the AV install so these pictures are really just to give an idea of the scale of the project.

www.CustomControls.co.uk

Claridges Case Study Live

2011-11-15T09:53:00.001Z

Our award winning project at Claridges hotel has just been written up Crestron UK. Lots of great pictures to go with it. Check it out here - http://www.customcontrols.co.uk/userfiles/documents/CrestronClaridgesCaseStudy.pdf

Dubai Audio Video Installation

2011-11-15T09:42:00.001Z

A quick picture of our kit room in Dubai! Lots of lovely Crestron and Artcoustic equipment waiting to be installed. @CrestronHQ @ArtcousticUK


Crestron, Artcoustic and SIM2 all waiting to be installed.

Crestron Dealers of Distinction

2011-09-15T09:01:00.002+01:00

Did you know we are one of the largest Crestron Residential Dealers in the UK? We are also the only dealer to win the coveted Crestron Integration Awards for three years
running - marking us as one of most cutting edge Home Automation Dealers in the UK.

With Offices in Manchester and London we are well placed to handle larger Crestron Installations.

Crestron

Kaleidescape Downloads on the Way!

2011-09-15T08:54:00.003+01:00

Details are slightly sketchy at the moment but we can confirm that downloads are coming to Kaleidescape! This should allow you to purchase films (and possibly music !?!) direct from Kaleidescape without the need to buy a disc, import it and then store the disc for ever more. With downloads it will simply be a case of seleecting a film, downloading and then watching. We have seen very reasonible download speeds in our testing (although we are on super fast broadband and the download service is not yet publically accessible).
In line with the Kaleidescape policy of 'quality comes first' we expect downloaded films to be at the highest possible resolutions, without compression or compromise.
Watch this space for future updates!

Kaleidescape.

Kaleidescape Video about the M700 BluRay Vault

2011-07-27T12:34:00.001+01:00

Check out this informative video about the M700 BluRay Vault from Kaleidescape.

Kaleidescape

Kaleidescape M700 Released!

2011-07-27T12:23:00.004+01:00

Kaleidescape have just released their M700 BluRay player / Carousel. The M700 holds a whopping 320 Blu Ray discs whilst doing the same job as a M500 BluRay player! This unit performs brilliantly as the main player in a home DVD / BluRay storage system and is easily expanded by adding more M500 or M300 players in to the system - providing simultaneous film streams in to the home.

Should you need storage for more disks then multiple M700 Disc Vaults can be added to your Kaleidescape System.

Our Facebook Page is now operational!

2011-07-15T08:30:00.002+01:00

Check out our all singing, all dancing facebook page!

It has a great collection of albums of our work and should also be a good place to see what we are up to.

Artcoustic Visit

2011-07-14T21:03:00.001+01:00

Thanks to Paul from Artcoustic for popping in today. Always good to get a manufacturers perspective on up and coming projects - particularly home cinema designs.Artcoustic

Our Home Cinema Installation in Dubai

2011-07-11T17:06:00.003+01:00

We have had some good news in relation to our home cinema project in Dubai. Apparently the client and his wife are keen on the Cineak Fortuny range of electric recliners. This is by far our favourite home cinema seat - very comfortable and supportive even for the longest viewing sessions. We are busy designing options for them as we speak - ensuring the seats work well in the finished interior design.
Installing dedicated home cinema seating like the Cineak's makes a lot of sense in a cinema of this quality.
Home Cinema Installation

Some snaps from Claridges Hotel

2011-07-06T21:38:00.009+01:00

The following pictures were taken whilst on site at Claridge's. They won't really make it in to the slidewhows and case studies (due to not being as good as the professional ones!) but are still worth viewing.

This is the project which won us the Crestron Integration Awards in 2011 for Best High Rise. You can view more detail here.

Hello From Dubai

2011-07-06T21:34:00.003+01:00

We have also recently returned from a site visit to our project in Dubai. A huge 55,000sq ft villa featuring a full Crestron installation - Audio video, lighting & curtains, intercom, pool control etc etc etc. This is also home to the high end home cinema mentioned in a previous post.

OnSite in Iran!

2011-07-06T21:23:00.005+01:00

We've recently returned from our first site visit to Iran. We have a large residential project on the go over there. It was a great experience and the people were very friendly and helpful.

There will be a full case study of this project - featuring Crestron Digital Media and Sonnex - once this project is complete.

One of our favourite bits of the trip (apart from the work) was trying fresh walnuts. These taste amazing!

SIIAM 2011 - The Alpine Building Show

2011-07-05T09:27:00.003+01:00

This week we have been visiting Megeve in the French Alps, taking a look at the SIIAM - The Alpine Building Show. We have long been a fan of workign in the Alps as our technology lends itself brilliantly to the chalet lifetsyle.
We are currently evaluating costs and workload to see if we might exhibit next year.

Crestron Integration Awards 2011 - Winners!

2011-07-01T11:14:00.003+01:00

For the third year in a row Custom Controls have triumphed at the Crestron Integration Awards - This year winning the coveted Best High Rise Award for our stunning Claridge's Hotel installation.

You can view the project here - Claridge's Hotel - Crestron Integration Award Winner 2011!

What is Home Automation?

2011-06-10T11:02:00.003+01:00

Home Automation is simple - a control system performs tasks around the home on your behalf. At it's simplest a home automation system will allow you to press one button on a lighting keypad and all the lights in the room will come on at levels you (or you lighting designer) have previously specified. This saves you having to adjust dimmers and walk around switching on table lamps to set the mood. The same system might also bring on your outside lights when it gets dark and switch them off at 2am.
Automation can also extend to things like distributing audio and video around the home (allowing you to watch Sky+ recorder programs in bed, in the lounge or the kitchen). One easy to use interface brings together all your electrical devices providing easy and reliable control. Simple!

Kaleidescape Certified Dealer

2011-06-10T10:42:00.004+01:00

Over the last couple of months Kaleidescape have been tightening up the requirements required to be a dealer - this has resulted in a lot fewer dealers in the UK.
We are proud to announce that we are not only still a dealer we are a fully certified dealer. This means we have full demonstration facilities including Blu-Ray films, music and child friendly collections (controlled through their very own child remote!).
We can also organise loan units so prospective customers can enjoy the Kaleidescape experience at home.

Crestron Installation in Canary Wharf, London

2011-06-10T10:17:00.003+01:00

This week the guys are installing a Crestron home cinema system in an apartment in the Canary Wharf area of London. A Crestron AMS-AIP does all the audio video routing and amplification - including piping music in to the bedroom. Artcoustic on-wall speakers ensure a great look and don't take up valuable floor space whilst sounding great. Sources such as DVD, IPOD and Radio are controlled in both rooms by TPMC-6X touchpanels. With the clients permission we will get some pictures up next week.

A Home Cinema like no other!

2011-05-24T09:48:00.006+01:00

As part of our high end Crestron installation in Dubai (55,000sq ft of living space and the same in outdoor space!) we are installing a very high end home cinema. Featuring Artcoustic Spitfire speakers, Anthem amplification (The P range delivering 350 Watts per channel for all 17 channels required!) and the stunning SIM2 Lumis 3d projector illuminating a 3.5m SMX masked screen - this will be one of the best Home Cinema Installations anywhere. Watch this space for construction images and a final case study.
Below is an image of the front elevation showing accoustically transparent screen with Artcoustic speakers behind.

Claridges Hotel Slideshow on the main site!

2011-04-15T16:09:00.002+01:00

We now have a slideshow showcasing our work in the Davies and Brook penthouses in Claridges Hotel. The pictures are stunning and really show the quality of the rooms - which even include listed furniture! Needless to say a careful approach and sympathetic installation was demanded!

http://www.customcontrols.co.uk/case-studies/slideshows/claridges-hotel-penthouses.aspx

We are now DMC-D and DMC-E certified!

2011-04-15T16:05:00.002+01:00

This week we have been on Crestron training - becoming certified Crestron Digital Media Designers & Engineers. Even though we installed the first digital media system in the uk the course was still worthwhile - the product range is quite varied and it was great discussing best practice etc.

Where we are this week....

2011-03-31T11:37:00.005+01:00

This week has been pretty manic (and it is only Thursday morning!). We have been finishing off the Davies Penthouse in Claridges in addition to meeting clients and even squeezing in a service call or two (Lutron and AMX integration in a Sloane Square apartment). The Claridges penthouse was photographed by Crestron yesterday with some stunning looking photos emerging. Look out for a full case study on the main site shortly.