Project brief: To install a multi-room AV system to five rooms with a centralised media server, Sky HD, another Sky box and an iPod dock. This project was the dream of the owner who had been renovating the property for two years.
Location: Devon
Client: A private holiday home which had been extensively re-modelled.
Background: Our client had redeveloped their holiday home and added an extension to the side of the property. They wanted to be able to enjoy music or video in any room from several sources and, being a keen sports fan, Sky sports was a must in the living area, bedroom, bathroom and office. In addition to this the client and his family enjoy movies and so requested a home cinema solution.
The Solution: This project presented several challenges including running the cables and getting signals through walls which were over 4 times the thickness of an average wall. In addition, the client was particular about whether ceiling speakers could be used and in which rooms. Some of the conduit for cables had already been installed and could not be undone and so issues with IR control were encountered and overcome.
Multi-room AV
The choice of multi-room system was simple in that the client required touch-screens and a simple user interface. Once demonstrated, the Opus 500 system was our client's dream solution. A cupboard was designated for the central equipment and all cables were run to that point. A 27u rack with locking doors was installed.
Opus OP565 audiophile speakers were installed in all of the main zones with 100w amplifiers providing outstanding performance. In the sub-zones we installed the basic Opus OS165CC speaker to give a good basic sound.
Mordaunt Short A504 floorstanding speakers were used in the office and the living room with fantastic results.
The office had a Panasonic 37" LCD TV installed on a bracket which was recessed into the chimney to ensure that it was only evident when the sport was on!
The master bathroom is a place of considerable luxury with outstanding views. We enhanced this room with the installation of an Aquavision 19" waterproof television, integrated with the Opus system in order to allow either of the Sky boxes to be watched depending on who was taking a bath!
The living area presented problems due to the shape of the room and the cable conduit that was already in place. In addition, the Sky HD had to be centralised with the Opus system and also available for high definition video in the lounge area (this is currently a problem as the Opus system does not provide HD video distribution...although it will this year!!).
In order to overcome the HD issue we centralised the SkyHD box and used a single Cat5 cable between the central cupboard and the TV point to provide a direct HD feed. Control of the SkyHD box was achieved through the Opus system. A remote IR receiver was installed to overcome the issue with the previously-installed conduit (otherwise the client would have to point a remote over their shoulder, not at the TV).
Home cinema
Our client required a Blu-Ray home cinema in the living area to enjoy high-quality cinema with minimum user interaction. The solution was to install a 42" Panasonic plasma TV with a Panasonic BX500 AV receiver, Panasonic BD80 Blu-Ray player and Key 3005 speakers. Once the system had been set up and the speakers were configured the Panasonic Viera Link was set up in order to simplify the use of the cinema system. The result was excellent and the client was able to use the system without any training or support.
If you would like further information on this solution, or to discuss your project, please call us on 023 8025 3399.
|
