The Comfort system from Cytech is an Automated Home favourite. It integrates an intruder alarm, home automation controller, voicemail and intercom all into one compact, reliable package. This case study gives a flavour of what the Comfort system can control in a real home.
Designed and installed a few years ago in the Georgian-style property by Cyberhomes Limited of Thame, Oxfordshire, the smart home features included a fully automated home cinema room, multi-room music system, audio and video distribution, surveillance monitoring, lighting control, intercom and access control. “The design principles of discrete and manageable technology resulted in a superb living space with dramatic and yet useable control features and an extensive home entertainment system,” said Andy Mack of Cyberhomes Limited. Several years later the main house was extended and with it the intelligent home system.
2008 saw the completion of a third stage in this ‘smart home’ project to incorporate a new, detached entertainment complex built around a large swimming pool again with security and automation provided by the Comfort Intelligent Home System.
The owner of the house declares, “We live in a house that responds to our needs, providing a safe and secure environment whilst also facilitating an amazing array of entertainment options for us all.”
The Main House – The interior of the main house has dark oak wood panelling in the home cinema room and 10 ft ceilings with cornice rails. Following the traditional style in the house the in-wall keypads and touch screens are all framed in polished brass. In this room the automated curtains, concealed 6-foot automated cinema screen, projector and ‘invisible’ ceiling speakers work together to achieve a real ‘at the cinema’ feeling.
There is also a 42-inch plasma TV screen that slides out at a 45 degree angle from the dark oak fitted cupboards. When not in use the screen vanishes back into the recess and the automated oak wood panel returns to its closed ‘bookcase’ state.
All screens throughout the house can view the security cameras around the outside of the property. The camera system can also be viewed from a remote computer so family members with the full password can see both live and recorded footage. The Comfort security system dials out to the home-owners’ mobiles when they are not at home to alert them of an emergency such as a break-in or fire.
The door phone can be set to dial out to a mobile if the owner is out as well as allowing them to open gates or doors for deliveries or other services. When the owner is home they can speak to visitors at the gate from any internal phone and open electric garage doors and the main entrance gates from the phone whilst viewing the operation on any plasma screen in the house.
Lighting Up – Lighting control throughout the three floor house can be turned on or off with a single button or via the arming and disarming of the Comfort security system. Movement activated lighting means that during the night illuminated walkways can be created without pressing any switches and door contacts turn on lights when the owners enter the house. Touch screens in larger rooms provide a range of pre-programmed scenes to suit the occasion. When the house is vacated, the lighting system plays back a programme to give anyone in the vicinity the impression the house is occupied.
Upstairs Downstairs – The busy family with school-age children find the room-to-room intercom using a wireless telephone system very useful as it also allows direct paging between rooms.
The Entertainment Complex – This new development followed the expansion of the system when an extension was build onto the main house in 2006. The entertainment complex is constructed around an outdoor swimming pool and the facilities on three floors include a basement snooker room, a ground floor entertainment room and a first floor gym.
The family asked for features and equipment with which they are familiar. So the new installation was also based on a Comfort Intelligent Home System for smart alarm and home control, plus Clipsal C-bus lighting control and Living Controls multi-room audio and video distribution.
The entertainment room features a 50-inch plasma screen, wii and Playstation 3 inputs, iPod dock, concealed ceiling speakers, wall mounted keypad and integrated remote control. The TV screen is fitted inside pale wood cabinets with bookshelves and storage units beneath. In the basement snooker room there is an iPod dock and distributed audio keypad to ceiling speakers. The first floor gym has a 37-inch screen, ceiling speakers, wall mounted keypad and integrated remote control.
CCTV, movement sensors and door contacts are also features of this new building. Cytech’s Comfort KT01 touch panel offers complete flexibility for the security. This allows the user to arm and disarm the main house as well as the entertainment complex, operate the gates and garage doors from this panel. The 32 lighting circuits with preset scenes inside and outside the complex can also be operated from this one panel. The family can also control the security and lighting for this leisure complex from the main house.
“The key to the success of this installation has been good design using products that have a track record of working well together – particularly Comfort and C-bus. The client has the benefit of a familiar but extended installation,” said Andy Mack of Cyberhomes Limited.
Products Used
- Security and home automation – Comfort Intelligent Home System
- Lighting Control – Clipsal C-Bus
- Multi-room Audio – Living Control
- Touch screen control – Living Control and Clipsal
- Speakers – Speakercraft
- Cinema Audio – Denon”
www.cytech.biz : cyberhomesltd.co.uk
Be the first to comment on "Smart Home Success Story – A Comfort Case Study"