Kramer signal converters help to convert components to composite video for use with touch panels and to convert any incoming signals. Kramer video opto-isolators, baseband correctors, and color equalizers all contribute to the crystal clear pictures on the screens that monitor the homes. Kramer cables and accessories switch RGBHV to VGA and vice versa, and rack mounts provide neat and organized installations of all the necessary equipment to keep the control center running smoothly.
Commercial Meets Residential for Whole-House System The Smart Homes offer multi-zone audio enabled by Kramer audio switchers and volume controllers. With a single location for the audio sources and sound from all of the sources to all zones within the house, the switchers and volume controllers can control the volume from any room in the house. They also link the source, volume control, and lighting controls. Kramer video switchers and signal converters are coupled with the audio switchers for whole-house distribution of crystal clear images, regardless of format. They distribute RF signals to all televisions without clarity loss and provide component sources to different plasmas or projectors throughout the house.
The signal distribution amplifiers also offer co-axial digital connections to several receivers, along with XVGA to CAT5 conversion. HOT’s unique touch panels use Kramer signal converters to convert components to a composite video while operating the system. The converters also allow the change from S-video to composite for picture-in-picture (PIP) functions, as well as a display of various VGA sources on multiple types of monitors – from VGA panels to consumer televisions.
Selected for their convenience and reliability, Kramer signal converters highlight the usefulness of the PIP application. For example, the owner can use the PIP function to switch to any of the security cameras in the home to view activity. PIP can also be used as a character generator for caller i.d., so the homeowner can see who is calling from any TV or computer screen in the house. Homeowners can also make changes in their entertainment repertoires at one time and affect all locations that are linked to the Smart Home. By using an internet media server, a person who has three linked residences and wants to add or delete a CD in his collection can do it once through the server and the result will transfer to all three locations.
Kramer Kudos on Reliability – from Technology to Delivery In choosing switching products for the Smart Home project, Fatjo looked for a company whose products demonstrated reliability in every way. “The equipment has to work every time in every situation – it has to work with the system protocol, we have to be able to rely on consistent inventory and delivery, and it has to work every time the owner pushes the buttons,” Fatjo said. “We chose Kramer because of its reliability and performance, as well as its value for the money.” Fatjo also noted that in a competitive market, timing is as important as cost. “The market is so hot that sometimes being able to deliver is more important than being the least expensive. Kramer helps me to win on timing because I know they will deliver on time, every time,” he commented. Kramer’s serial connections on every switcher were also a primary factor in the selection.
These features allow for easy hook-up to the touchpad, a unique feature in HOT’s Smart Homes. “We wanted a single touchpad that did everything and looked nice,” he said. “Every system normally has its own controller, and you end up with six or seven versions on your wall or in your family room, and they all look different.” The HOT touchpad connects to every source and displays information on the entire house. It can even be used to read e-mails from the computer or to turn down the lights in an adjoining room. The Smart Houses have brought the future home today by combining the technologies of the Ethernet, internet, telephone, serial connections, and analog lines with an easy-to-operate interface, intuitive menus, and future flexibility. “We’re offering comfort, operation and maintenance simplicity, security, and entertainment in a single package that can be accessed from anywhere in the world. We’ve created a way for architecture and technology to coexist, and the result is a Smart Home that is true to the environment,” Fatjo said.