- "I want what they've got!" When 80 percent of your incoming business is based off personal referrals, you are bound to hear this declaration more than a few times. But that's quite all right for Electronics Design Group (EDG), a longtime AMX® Dealer located in Piscataway, N.J., who won an unprecedented fifth CEDIA Electronics Lifestyles Award at CEDIA EXPO 2002.
"The homeowner is psyched on how simple the room is to operate. Even his young children can operate things confidently. After having smaller media systems in his home previously, which used six or seven remotes, he really appreciates what AMX control enables him to do now and how easy it is for everyone to experience."
- This time around, it was in honor of the company's diligent work on a basement home theater that transforms a multimedia entertainment extravaganza into a larger-than-life sports spectacular into a comfortably efficient home office hideaway — and back again. A lot like the neighbor's integration system across the street, which was also designed by EDG.
- "This homeowner had gone to a party there and had seen the home theater with all of its features," said Joe McNeill, EDG Sales Representative.
- A year and a half later, he and his family enjoy a home theater complete with theater seating for eight, a 110-inch widescreen display and an AMX® Axcent3 Control System.
- Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let us begin with the medium-sized basement area. Just enough head room with 9-foot ceilings. Just enough room for an overhead projector, widescreen display, theater seats and a marble bar counter within a space measuring 15-feet wide by 22-feet long. The homeowner wanted three different levels on the floor, adding up to about 24 more inches in the ground.
- "The client had a limited amount of space to deal with, which initially only gave him a ceiling height of about seven feet," McNeill explained. "So, he made the decision during construction to dig down into the foundation of the property to create a couple of risers in the room. That was a big job."
- The homeowner already had a clear idea of the type of control and automation that would be a part of the home theater. In many other areas of the home, existing AMX technology was in place delivering convenience, simplicity and luxury. For example, a ViewPoint® Wireless Touch Panel manages a motorized projection system installed near the indoor pool. A 15-inch Touch Monitor rests in the kitchen and 32-Button Keypads are strategically positioned throughout different rooms. Take the homeowner's familiarity with one-touch control, add EDG's 15 years worth of industry experience, and you have a discriminating and extremely knowledgeable team designing this award-winning home theater.
- "The level of detail was impressive," McNeill said. "The client paid very close attention to detail to create a room that performed at a high level acoustically. From an interior design standpoint, he made thoughtful decisions in regards to where items would be placed. This was serious work and a sizeable financial investment."
- As CEO of a successful company and a self-proclaimed sports aficionado, the homeowner would settle for nothing less than superb picture quality, intense sound, and seamless automation. A high-end projection system, surround sound and sound absorption systems, and the AMX Axcent3 Control System work in unison to bring alive fun-filled family weekends and weeknight sporting events. In fact, a Viewpoint Wireless Touch Panel activates and controls lighting scenes, motorized drapes, video games, karaoke music, personal computer programs like PowerPoint®, and Internet access.
- "It's an intimate setting that delivers a commanding and intense experience," McNeill said. "Most people who get a demonstration are blown away. The homeowner is psyched on how simple the room is to operate. Even his young children can operate things confidently. After having smaller media systems in his home previously, which used six or seven remotes, he really appreciates what AMX control enables him to do now and how easy it is for everyone to experience."
