OneTouch Automation, Mississauga, Ontario Canada

             The Gemstone home (name changed to protect identity) is an 8,000 square foot lakefront property in a prestigious neighbourhood of Oakville, Ontario. The client already had several televisions plus other audio and video components,  but found that their home technology had become complicated and unmanageable. They were looking for a way to fully integrate all aspects of the home into one user-friendly system. At the same time, they wanted to add new state-of-the-art components. The obvious answer was a Crestron solution.

            There were several challenges to making this happen. Because this was an existing home with high quality finishing, the client wanted millwork and cable runs to be kept to a minimum. Distance of signal was also an issue, as the home covers a large amount of property. Content and control needed to be sent to all areas on multiple levels of the home.

A major component of this system was audio throughout the living areas of the home.

            This had to be a system that would not only include a comprehensive array of audio sources it also had to be a system that would allow for emerging technologies to be easily integrated at a later date.

            OneTouch Automation of Mississauga Ontario provided the Crestron-based solution for this client. Under the leadership of Naz Kawsar, OneTouch provided the concept, the design, the installation the programming and the commissioning for this project.

            The poject also called on the  expertise of audio specialist Rob Brown of Thorvin Electronics.

            Crestron was the go-to product for virtually the entire system. By using a Crestron solution, OneTouch was able to achieve the following:

–        Simple centralized control of 16 audio zones.

–        Backgound music controlled from a central location as well as from décor panels in key locations throughout the house.

–         Limited cable runs. OneTouch was able to keep cable runs to a bare minimum, with most runs restricted to a single cat-5 cable.

–        Easy management of multiple music sources including FM radio, CD, iPod, XM satellite and cable/satellite TV, Digital Media, Blu-Ray etc.

–        State of the art surround sound in the Home Theatre room.

–        Affordable understandable wireless controls pads everywhere they are needed in the house

–        Timely supply of product and ease of assembly that resulted in less disruption for the client and lower labour costs

            The client is delighted with the results. The new generation of Crestron Digital audio systems has brought the audio standards of this home up to a new higher standard.

Paul Harris, OneTouch Automation

OneTouch Automation Inc. an industry expert of Audio Visual systems design, now offers digital media solutions from the world’s leading audio visual control systems manufacturer, Crestron®. OneTouch Automation is proud to be an authorized Crestron® dealer.

Simplify and streamline the technology in your boardrooms, conference rooms, class rooms or Smart homes. Integrated solutions from Crestron® simplify installation and practical usage, as well as easy maintenance, efficient programming and scalability.

Crestron® has evolved far beyond the touchpanel and control system, becoming the definitive reliable source for centrally and globally controlling, managing and presenting information at ease. Control and automate the lights, drapes, screens, thermostats and AV equipment – all from an intuitive easy-to-use touchpanel, remote or custom keypad, iPAD or iPhone. Let Crestron manage the control of the technology so that you can focus on your meetings.

OneTouch Automation offers integrated OneTouch solutions for creating highly functional, yet simplified living spaces that are convenient, energy efficient, time-saving and entertaining all at the same time. Integrated solutions accommodate every lifestyle, from becoming greener by reducing energy use to protecting you and your family by making your home more secure. It can even evolve as your family evolves, adjusting to changes in your family composition or the changing abilities of family members. The end result is a house that works for you now and one that can also adapt to changes.

Home automation can handle many complex and repetitive tasks, such as having lights come on at dusk or closing the curtains at bedtime. Turning on the music throughout the house while entertaining a party or Dim the lights to party mode, all you need is OneTouch of a button. You can contact OneTouch by email- care@onetouchon.com or by calling 416 477 2154 Ext 116

Living in the era of rapid technological advancement means consumers have grown accustomed to being able to access vast amounts of information in a minimum amount of time.

Technology that once filled a room now fits in the palm of your hand and some gaming consoles have more computing capacity than a space shuttle computer. So what is next, asks Adrian Goslett, chief executive of RE/MAX of Southern Africa.

Could the next step be a smart home?

Automated homes are an affordable reality now for home owners in the GTA.  Click here  to read more of this article, recently published on iol sctech, about  the ability of technology to transform our daily lives.

Feel free to drop us a line with any questions or comments you have about smart home integration.

One Touch Automation presents the next article in the Smart Home series, by Writer Molly Edmonds , origionally published on http://home.howstuffworks.com/.

Smart home technology was developed in 1975, when a company in Scotland developed X10. X10 allows compatible products to talk to each other over the already existing electrical wires of a home. All the appliances and devices are receivers, and the means of controlling the system, such as remote controls or keypads, are transmitters. If you want to turn off a lamp in another room, the transmitter will issue a message in numerical code that includes the following: 

•An alert to the system that it’s issuing a command,
•An identifying unit number for the device that should receive the command and
•A code that contains the actual command, such as “turn off.”

Click here to read more.

Intrigued? Contact us!

Writer Molly Edmonds published a great series of articles on http://home.howstuffworks.com/.  One Touch Automation presents the first in that series of articles, titled How Smart Homes Work.

When you’re not home, nagging little doubts can start to crowd your mind. Did I turn the coffee maker off? Did I set the security alarm? Are the kids doing their homework or watching television?

With a smart home, you could quiet all of these worries with a quick trip online. When you’re home, the house takes care of you by playing your favorite song whenever you walk in or instantaneously dimming the lights for a movie. Is it magic? No, it’s home automation. Smart homes connect all the devices and appliances in your home so they can communicate with each other and with you.

Click here to read more. Have any questions about how this smart home technology can make your life easier? Contact us!

What is a home of the future? Good question. Automated homes or smart homes are often called homes of the future, for some reason. When One Touch Automation refers to automated homes, we are talking about a modern-day residence that integrates electrical devices in a house with each other, allowing for easy control by all family members.

Home automation can:

• Increase your independence and give you greater control of your home environment
• Make it easier to communicate with your family
• Save you time, effort and money
• Improve your personal safety and security
• Reduce your heating and cooling costs
• Increase your home’s energy efficiency
• Alert you audibly and visually to emergency situations
• Allow you to monitor your home while you are away

A home automation system has three core components:

1. A central controller or main processing unit
2. The device being operated (for example, lights, shades or audio system)
3. The interface between the user and the device. An interface can be a remote, a keypad, a motion sensor, a wireless touch panel, Apple IPad or your personal computer. For example, a furnace can be controlled by an interface such as a remote, which sends a signal to the furnace via main controller to adjust the temperature for different times of the day and night based on the logic

Some of the standard devices automation can control include:

·         Lighting

·         Television and Home Entertainment

·         Security

·         Heating and Cooling

·         Telephones

·         Automated Fixtures and Fittings

·         Doors

·         Windows

·         Blinds and Curtains

·         Water

·         Fire and Other Safety Emergencies