LIGHTING  CONTROLS

The ways that lighting controls are made, used, and integrated into today's residential lighting systems are changing rapidly.  No longer is a lighting control simply a switch or dimmer; it's an integral part of the lighting system that expands functionality, enhances appearance and, more recently, helps reduce lighting energy use. A particular challenge for control is the growing need to dim and control mixed loads in lighting situations where incandescent, fluorescent, and LED light sources are used together. Fortunately, new industry standards are making the task of matching controls to fixtures easier, and this year's control products proved to be smarter than ever before, displaying features such as self-calibration to maximize dimming performance and internet integration to mesh with the growing use of mobile apps and personal communication devices.  LiteSync is currently retrofitting a beautiful custom home with such control in the Pima Canyon Estates neighborhood.  Care to see the best in lighting control with LED product integration all from the smart phone?  Give us a call. 

Sound Masking at a Call Center

LiteSync contracted with the Tucson branch of the Cord Blood Registry to assist in the new construction of their 6,500 square foot call center.  One of the major problems in such an area is noise and hearing others on their phones.  With the proper wall acoustical treatments and then injecting white noise into the space through 53 carefully hung speakers, we can virtually eliminate the noise spill people at their station hear.  Shown here is our site foreman Dylan doing some work in what's known as the "rough-in" phase above the ceiling. 

Catalina United Methodist Church

LiteSync was pleased to assist the church with a new pro sound system upgrade of their main chapel.  This landmark church on Speedway Blvd was built in 1956.  The existing audio system was installed by a local vendor some years back that did not have the skills to execute such work correctly and the audio signal reproduction was poor at best.  LiteSync brought in our sound engineer and he calculated the needs of the space and we then installed the equipment.  New JBL line arrays, Crown amplification, a BSS London processor and a beautiful new Soundcraft digital mixing board made the changes that will carry this facility many decades into the future.  LiteSync also upgraded the hearing assist system with new Listen Technologies equipment.  LiteSync is a Level One certified hearing assist system provider.

Our engineer Mark is easily one of the best in the industry.  We are proud to be working with him.

Acoustical Remediation at Sahuarita High School

LiteSync contracted with Sahuarita High School to make acoustical repairs to various music rooms.  The acoustical defects and issues in band rooms, chorus rooms, were deep and difficult for them.  Our PHD and architect calculated the needs to add the proper treatments to make the changes these rooms needed and when such treatments were installed by LiteSync, the school raved about the results.  Pictured here is some wall treatments that combined with new ceiling tiles made the band practice room more "lively" as was requested. 

DOE Residential Lighting Study

The Department of Energy (DOE) has published the "Residential Lighting End-Use Consumption Study:  Estimation Framework and Initial Estimate." which focused on developing new estimates of residential lighting usage and energy consumption at the national regional levels within households and even by lamp characteristics. 

At annual kilowatts per hour, sadly Arizona was in the highest category at 2,100 to 2,400 with California and New York at the lowest end of the scale at 1,200 to 1,300

The Tucson Community Center Arena

Today LiteSync had it's V.P. climbing around on service catwalks of the Tucson Community Center arena.  Hat's off to Kelly for dragging her Canon 7d camera and L glass lens up there to get some shots of the existing and dated arena equipment.  LiteSync is preparing a power point video to present to the City ReoNuevo committee members in order to help them make much needed lighting and audio upgrade decisions.  Time to get the TCC out of the stone age!  Stay tuned for exciting updates! 

Marriott Hotel Lighting Automation

The Tucson Marriott University Park Hotel is one of the busiest hotels in the city of Tucson.  Their existing lighting automation system was dated and failing.  Over time LiteSync had been called in to make patch repairs but when it was time for a remodel of the facility, LiteSync was called upon to not only help with the remodel but also to assist with the automation system upgrade.

The existing systems manufacture was no longer in business.  While LiteSync had the software program for its dated processor, the floppy disk it operated on of course had long since lost it's magnetic properties. 

So LiteSync built an entirely new program of operation for the new Savant/LiteTouch lighting control.  The project was executed in two phases.  Phase one had all the gear mounted and ready.  Phase two had us drop out the 400 amp 3 phase switch in the basement to pull out the old automation rack and land over 100 new cables into the LiteTouch gutter assembly.  The phase two cut over took 16 hours to complete but when done, all systems were go. 

LiteSync offered this hotel an installation that brought the low voltage work and the high voltage work all under our contractors license.  We eliminate the low voltage integrator and their cost burden on the job. 

Automated module enclosures and control CCU

Close up view of dimming modules.  State of the art! 

Sanctuary Remodel

A division of LiteSync installs professional grade entertainment lighting, sound, video and acoustical treatments.  We have some of the states finest designers and installers on our team and we can meet virtually any need anywhere locally, nationally and even internationally.  Currently LiteSync is consulting on a project in Jamaica. 

Recently we were contracted with to perform a remodel of a Tucson east side church where the sanctuary was receiving a total make over.  LiteSync rebuilt stage floor pockets for microphone and speaker monitor distribution.  We also completely upgraded the sound system by installing new JBL line array speakers driven by Crown amplification.  

New video distribution was installed in the form of 2 motorized 15 foot screens and multiple hi-def projectors.  The change in sound and video was truly dramatic for the congregation. 

Below is one of the JBL loudspeaker arrays with a nearby hi-def video projector.  

David Rishor President of LiteSync gets up on the lift to inspect

Welcoming Wireless Home

THE HALLMARK of the cellular revolution is the ability to do so many things on the go. Smartphones have given an entirely new meaning to being mobile.

In this sense, being mobile doesn't just mean checking bank accounts or sending an e mail from a phone. On a more basic level, it means doing these (and so many other things) without being tethered to a stationary device. Not so long ago, however, simply doing some of these things on a desktop computer was considered liberating.

The changes we see and are benefiting from have much less to do with any particular device, such as a cellular phone or a PC, than they do with the evolution of a particular technology. the technology is the ability to convey data and signals over a wireless transmission.

HOLY texting refrigerators Batman!

Making Appliances Smarter
Before you roll your eyes and wonder why you'd want to pay more for a fridge with a built-in smartphone, consider if you have a house full of hungry, less-than-attentive teenagers running amok. After all, a technology that saves the expense of a shopping carts's worth of spoiled food because a child left the fridge door open and you were not alerted pays for itself very quickly.

Smart appliances working in conjunction with smart electric meters and you are going to change the industry and your living for the better.

Dove Mountain Custom Home

LiteSync is excited to be installing Tucson's first LiteTouch and ELAN g! system in a 7k sq ft home at the beautiful neighborhood of Dove Mountain in Marana Arizona. This seamless integration will set the bar for automated control in homes for others to shoot for. Sadly, no other single system will be able to reach it not to mention no other single contractor can bring the skills to the project like LiteSync does with our full service design/build approach.

With the beautiful and elegant LiteTouch keypad on the wall we can do the quick needed fucntion like control the large electric sliding door at the great room. Or quickly ramp fan speeds up and down, or touch one button for all the lighting to be set for a typical evening at home. LiteTouch without question puts the best occupant hardbutton keypad on the wall in the industry.

The Elan g! interface will allow the home owner to access all the control needed from his new ipad2. Or with the ELAN HR2 remote control they can turn their great room into a full functioning media room and still access all the control that any g! wall mounted touch screen offers. The g! interface is an industry game changer and we are proud to be Tucson's only active dealer designing and selling it.

Watch for pictures of this home coming soon in Tucson local magazines!

Klipsch LightSpeaker WOW

Enjoying music throughout your home has never been easier—or more enlightening. Winner of a 2010 CES Innovations Award, the Klipsch® LightSpeaker® is the first product to combine efficient LED lighting and wireless ambient sound into a single unit that installs like a light bulb.

• Includes two LightSpeakers, a transmitter, remote and other accessories
• Designed for 5- and 6-inch recessed light fixtures
• Enjoy ambient music in multiple rooms—wirelessly
• Totally hidden, space-saving sound solution
• LED bulb rated to last 15 years or more
• Reduces daily lighting expenses by 80%
• Installs in 10 simple steps or less
• Remote or transmitter controls all system functions

The Best in Audio CES and The Show

At the heart of LiteSync is our undying passion of high end stereo music reproduction. You won't see any in wall speakers here or surround sound formats. No, it's two channel at its finest bringing one closer to the music than what is typically offered in the mass market or offered by the local low voltage integrator. If you really want to hear music as if it was live in front of you, LiteSync can help you get there. Let us educate your ears.

Go here to see some amazing products and the people that supply them.

http://live.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/ces.pl?&&RoomList&FM&&&&&&CES11

More Than Keypads

We responded to the Sounding Board of CEPro magazine related to a story they had published in their December issue about low voltage integrators selling and designing lighting control.

This response was published in their January 2011 issue. While their December story brushed in broad strokes advocating that low voltage integrators up sell more control, we responded to say that having someone whom is not trained in lighting and how occupants interface with such in a space is a failing. Having the lighting designer separate from the lighting controller is a grave failing that always leads to an inferior product.

See the story in the December and January issues of CEPro magazine.

Seven Reasons to Switch to LED Lighting

• Reduced energy costs
• Better for the environment
  
• Longer life
• Superior color point consistency
• Reduced maintenance
• No infrared or ultraviolet emissions
• Reduced heat

Sound like a win, win to us!

CE Pro 12 Things Learned at Cedia 2010

With 453 exhibitors there was a lot to take in at the show, but of their top 12 one that stood out at them didn't surprise LiteSync at all...we have known about this for years.

The title of the article is "Vinyl is cool again". But at LiteSync its more than just "cool" for when it's play back is correctly done, it can put the best of digital to shame in sonic reproduction.

The article goes on to say...

Since the introduction of the CD more than 25 years ago, the role of the LP was slowly relegated to the niche status. Over the past two years, however, vinyl has experienced a near unprecedented revival. Music industry sales figures indicate that sales are up. Anecdotal evidence suggest that patronage at record stores is up. And equipment manufacturers are reporting sales are up.

"Over the past two years". We see this as a bit uniformed as LiteSync has been speaking and observing this resurgence for longer than this. While getting the analog sound is harder to do, once achieved, it brings one much closer to the music in a way that digital can not do.

CEDIA 2010 is here

And it's bigger, better than ever. For the latest in CE pro integration and information be there September 22nd - 26th in Atlanta Georgia.
http://www.cedia.net/

More Than Just a Meter

The term "smart grid" is getting a lot of use these days, with related stimulus funding reaching into the billions of dollars and the popular press promising Jetson like advances, it has been predicted to enable our control of home appliances from our office desktops and allow us to supply electricity back to the grid and to use our plug in electric vehicles. What this sometimes hyperbolic coverage overlooks, however, are the many small tweaks that will add up to big reliability improvements for the larger transmission system, with fewer and shorter outages and irregularities, in a process that will be more evolutionary that revolutionary.

Wireless multi-room audio and video

The days are gone where we must run wires everywhere to achieve our audio and video distribution. Now thanks to state of the art wireless products we can give you all the content you need anywhere at the touch of a finger.

Stream your 1080p video to any room, stream your favorite internet radio, itunes, Pandora or other play list to the back porch or where ever you need it. LiteSync has the products and knowledge you need to make it all happen effortlessly.

Take a look at Sonos www.sonos.com for the audio streaming needs. They have created a multi-room music system that's second to none. Or look at Avior avior.iogear.com they taken home entertainment to a new level of connectivity, convenience and decor.

Saving Energy in Residential Lighting: The Other Half of the Story

What is the best way to reduce the amount of electrical energy used for residential lighting? The answer is to use more efficient light sources so the light can be provided with fewer watts.

A 100 watt incandescent household bulb rated for 1,700 lumens, for example, can be replaced by a 29 watt compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) rated for the same 1,700 lumens for an energy savings of 71percent, assuming that both are burned for the same number of hours.

ENERGY = (Power) x (Time)
Reducing the power draw (watts) of a luminaire by 50 percent certainly reduces the energy used by that luminaire by 50 percent; but so does leaving the power the same and reducing the operating time by 50 percent instead.

Why, then, are lighting regulations so focused on the "Power" part of the equation rather than the "Time" part? The answer is that, so far, it is relatively easy to do, and we have not figured out a way to control - or even reliably estimate - how long a luminaire is turned on every day.

We've also been fortunate that lamp manufacturers have been able to develop ever more efficient lamps - CFLs and, now, LEDs - which can replace less-efficient incandescent bulbs.

There's also the question of certification and verification. If an electric utility is paid by regulators for reducing lighting energy use, how does that utility prove its claims?

Utilities do that now by counting the CFLs or other energy-efficient products that their customers put into service via a rebate or incentive process.

One way a portable luminaire can be certified to be energy efficient is by inspection - simply look to see if the portable luminaire has a GU-24 socket.

In California, GU-24 sockets are designated for use only with energy-efficient CFL and LED lamps. Adapters which convert the GU-24 socket to accept another type of lamp base are illegal.

New Generation of Lighting Controls
However, suppose that we could verify that a luminaire was operated for a given length of time. We know the rated wattage of the luminaire, and if we also know the time, we would know the energy used. That's the concept behind a new generation of lighting controls. Not only can they control the lighting, but they are also smart enough to know which luminaires are on and for how long.

The idea is being experimentally applied now to roadway lighting. Each luminaire is equipped with a "smart chip" and assigned an Internet address so a computer control can switch the luminaire, change its output, query the luminaire to find out if it is on or off, monitor energy use, track lamp burning hours for maintenance purposes and even report a lamp failure should the luminaire be switched on but not draw power.

Would the idea benefit the residential lighting industry? It might offer alternatives to the ever-more-stringent regulations being applied to lamps and luminaires. For example, energy savings due to dimming could be quantified since a "smart" luminaire could report the actual power draw of a dimmed lamp.