Colorado vNet News

Next Generation Lighting and Control Technology

Colorado vNet — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 16:29:57 GMT

This is the first in a series of articles by Bill Beierwaltes, CEO, Colorado vNet, addressing technologies that could dramatically change the dealer’s residential systems business. You can contact him at Bill_Beierwaltes@ColoradovNet.com.

This industry is full of familiar if not outmoded technologies. For example everyone knows and uses RS-232 and RS-485 and their control derivatives, but are these the best communications choices available?

A Brief History

Invented in the sixties, the venerable RS-232 communications link has proven its worth; however, its basic design has shortcomings. It is unidirectional, has a distance limit of 50 feet, speaks to only one device and does not tolerate noise very well. Some installers have noticed the noise issue when data from an RS-232 device appears intermittent in noisy environments.

RS-485, adopted several years after RS-232, was developed to overcome some of these deficiencies. It launched with multi-drop capability, two-way communications, and significantly improved noise immunity. However, data collisions can cause errors whenever two devices try to talk at the same time on the same RS-485 line.

Is There a Bullet-proof Network?

Let’s look at automakers for the answer. The Robert Bosch Company recognized reliability shortcomings of RS-232 and RS-485 when it developed CAN (Control Area Network) to supply Mercedes with an ultra-reliable, lightweight and simple to install system. Just how reliable is it? You bet your life on it every day. Among other things, it controls virtually all modern car brake systems - brakes and lights. Such applications depend not only on reliability, but also on fast response. To that point, CAN can deliver a command payload in under a millisecond.

Electrically, CAN was designed to improve noise immunity beyond that of RS-485, but in a car some noise can still get through. That’s where CAN’s error-management software takes over by requesting a Correct Data Acknowledgement (ACK) to let the sending device know the message got through without error. In addition, if data collision is detected, the CAN controller will automatically hold the message and re-send it a moment later, rather than let be corrupted by other traffic on the line. Because of these and other features, CAN has proven its reliability over the past several years it is now the preferred network for almost all new cars.

Table 1: CAN protects system data, making it an exceptionally reliable candidate for Lighting and Control systems. Since the automotive industry has made CAN a network you trust with your life, it’s a great choice for the home as well.

CAN and CAT5e

CAN has another advantage, it is designed to operate on standard CAT5e cables with RJ-45 connectors. As a bonus, the CAN network only uses one of the four pairs in a CAT5e for data, which means the leftover pairs can remotely provide power to keypads and other lighting and control modules. The combination of data and power on CAT5e can significantly reduce installation time and eliminate remote power supplies.

A More Powerful Architecture

CAN is an ultra fast and reliable technology. Because of this, integration of another technology is now possible: Distributed Intelligence. Device intelligence is placed throughout a system via program scripts where each device acts independently. With scripts loaded on each device, CAN systems can operate without the need for a central processor—such as used with most of today’s lighting and control systems.

Now keypads can communicate directly with dimmers, and sensors with motors, without having to use a central brain. System reliability also improves (no central point of failure), cost is reduced (the processor is deleted), and installations is faster and simpler. And, if something breaks, its impact is limited to just that device, not the entire system which keeps on working.

Architecture scales to 1,000s

Since each device, or module, has its own instruction set, it’s a simple matter to grow from a few modules to thousands using the same modules and architecture. Fig. 1 shows an example of a 3-module CAN system. Fig. 2 shows that same system, expanded to include many more devices.

Fig. 1. A minimal 3 module Lighting and Control System using CAN architecture and Distributed Intelligence.

Fig. 2. Want to expand the system? Simply add more modules.The hub is merely a connecting device; the intelligence resides in the modules. Module commissioning can be done via a PC and later removed.

Integrators sometimes ignore small projects because of sales, design and installation overhead. With the architecture described in Fig. 2, it’s practical to imagine small and large jobs being done in minutes and hours instead of days and weeks by virtue of advanced layout software. Wouldn’t it be great if a small job’s design, proposal, and programming were automatically generated in the blink of an eye, directly onto the floor plan? It’s coming.

A New Window into the House

The next obvious step is to hook a CAN network to an IP network and then to the Internet; however, since CAN can’t speak directly to IP, we need a bridge (See Fig. 3). With a communications Bridge, the system can extract the best of these two very powerful networks to combine tight control with high data rates.And, since the bridge can connect to the web, a system can now embrace Remote Management to make the integrator’s life significantly more efficient and profitable.

Fig. 3. Adding a bridge and an Ethernet router puts the Lighting and Control system on the Internet. The Bridge could also act as a repository for useful information. The integrator might even get an email from the system, saying when a module was out of spec.

Remote Management

Every integrator wants to do more with less work. Managing client requests from his desk might be one example: When a client calls to ask for a lighting scene modification, the integrator could make changes remotely while the homeowner sees scene changes in real time. Once client changes are approved, the integrator would quickly upload new program scripts to affected modules without disturbing the operation of the rest of the system. Other remote management features could include uploading enhanced software and firmware to the homeowner’s system or downloading maintenance data and stored system documentation. Add to these capabilities the monitoring of system performance, and the integrator could enjoy a new revenue stream without leaving his office.

Remote Management Security

With Remote Management comes the obligation of a secure connection. Where on-demand connections are set up utilizing static IP addresses, the resultant open ports invite hackers to take control of the customer’s automation system. However, new technology can save the day. An integrator would direct the homeowner’s system to high-security, third party servers using dynamic IP addresses without leaving hacker friendly ports open. The result can be an exceptionally secure and simple link which embraces integrator features listed above.

Conclusion

CAN brings ultra-reliable communications to Lighting and Control. Distributed Intelligence contributes simplicity of design, easy expandability and system speed. IP technology gives us Internet access and Remote Management. Bringing all these fairly new, but well-proven technologies together can create a simpler, faster, more flexible, ultra-reliable automation system that’s easy to design, install, program, and upgrade, regardless of system size. Employing these technologies could make our lives better, customers happier, and integrators more efficient and profitable.

Ed Note: This is the first in a series of three articles by Bill Beierwaltes, showing how new, but proven, technologies can change our industry. Bill is the CEO of Colorado vNet and holds BSEE, BSMath and MBA degrees. An entrepreneur for most of his career, Bill has started 5 companies. When he sold Colorado Memory System, a PC backup business, to HP, the company had a 65% worldwide market share. Before embarking on new ventures, Bill has made a habit of doing serious due diligence while thoroughly researching and investigating the best technologies for the market. Loveland, Colorado is the setting for many world-class technology companies.

How to Make More Money in Lighting and Control

Colorado vNet — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 09:44:13 GMT

This is the second in a series of articles by Bill Beierwaltes, CEO, Colorado vNet, addressing technologies that could dramatically change the dealer’s residential systems business. You can contact him at Bill_Beierwaltes@ColoradovNet.com.

The custom installation market is growing rapidly, causing dealers to turn away business for lack of skilled personnel.That leaves today’s dealers with two choices: either live with the dilemma or make skilled personnel more efficient where the same number of people can close more sales and do more installations.

Since ignoring the problem won’t increase profits, let’s focus on making people more efficient.Fortunately, the Lighting and Control community will soon have new technologies that dramatically improve efficiency by a factor of 2X, and sometimes even better. Table 1 demonstrates what 2X efficiency could mean for a $1Million/year integration company.

Table 1: Profit Model – Effects of Doubling Skilled Labor Efficiency

Table 1. Option A, the company changes nothing. Option B, the company doubles the skilled personnel efficiency and then lets half of them go. Option C, the company keeps their skilled personnel, doubles their efficiency, which permits a doubling of sales and installations. [Note: In all cases, costs of products, non-skilled labor and miscellaneous expenses were held at a constant percentage of revenue.]

New Efficiencies through advanced technology

SELLING EFFICIENCY

The old way: The dealer had a “scope and budget” meeting using the client’s roll of drawings to sketch where keypads, dimming and other modules went.Then he created lists and wiring tables to keep track of his parts and wiring. The next step was to look through the manufacturer’s voluminous parts list for numbers and prices.And, if he wanted to prepare a first-class proposal, he would hire a CAD professional to overlay the floorplan drawings with his design highlighted.Needless to say, this process typically took days.

Under the new model, emerging software technology makes the dealer’s life a whole lot easier.Proposals that took days now takes a few hours and the client gains confidence in the salesman’s professionalism.Here’s how it will happen:

The new way: First, the salesman imports the client’s floor plan into a computer program using the new software tools and then simply drags and drops system modules and loads onto the plan.Then, by pointing and clicking, he automatically wires the system and creates documents useful not only for himself, but also for the designer, the installer, the electrician and his parts manager.

When the client sees the new plan overlaid on his familiar floor plan, he smiles.And, when the salesman turns on the lighting simulator in a test room, the client immediately understands and appreciates the value of Lighting and Control systems.

The results are dramatic: after working on a 10,000 square foot proposal for just 2 to 4 hours, the salesman is ready to have a closing meeting with his client. The floorplan-centric software eliminates days of effort and creates a professional, full-sized set of drawings that impress clients.

Fig. 1. The salesman imports a scanned image or CAD drawing of the room, then inserts devices such as lighting fixtures, keypads and dimmers.Connections are made by simply pointing and clicking.The result is a finished set of proposal documentation including full size drawings and a complete Bill of Materials.

The software simultaneously generates the drawings and an accurate Bill of Materials, dramatically reducing the possibility of dealer errors and minimizing the need to pay for unplanned parts. And, when the plan is initialed, both dealer and client have a document which minimizes misunderstandings that always seem to surface at the end of a project.

Fig. 2. The floorplan software automatically generates Bills of Materials which double as an accurate ordering checklist.As a bonus, the software automatically provides a profit analysis for financial visibility throughout the proposal and design stages.

The old way: Covering small, medium and large jobs entailed choosing different systems for each.Carrying three unique systems was complex, and meant extra costs, training, and inventory.As a result, many dealers chose to limit their market scope to only comfort zone job sizes.

Under the new model, scalable hardware opens up significant new markets for the dealer.

The new way: New, scalable hardware with distributed intelligence can be competitive in jobs ranging from the smallest home theater to a 50,000 square foot house.Even the smaller jobs suddenly become profitable, while changes in scale are easy to implement.

DESIGN EFFICIENCY

The old way: The designer used to be in the unenviable position of turning the salesman’s dog-eared drawings and handwritten notes into up-to-date working documentation.It’s not hard to see how this process could produce delays and costly mistakes.

With emerging software technology, designers and programmers can produce fast, error-free designs and updates.

The new way: The designer simply clicks on a floorplan object and then relates it to other system modules, e.g. a single keypad button could control several dimmer legs throughout the house.This fast, intuitive floorplan-based programming then produces a drawing showing what switch relates to what loads (virtual wiring).It also automatically creates high voltage wiring plans for electricians while simultaneously creating low voltage wiring plans for installers.The program even checks to see if any loads have been left unwired or unprogrammed.

The lighting simulation capability, previously used during the proposal stage as a selling tool, is also a valuable tool for testing programming. It enables the programmer to test his work at the office instead of the client’s site which reduces travel time and lots of after-dark hours on site.

The old way: The volume of SKU (part) numbers was daunting.Salesmen, designers, parts managers and installers were bewildered by the thousands of SKU choices.Mechanical parts such as custom faceplates, covers, color choices, screws and brackets, plus electrical parts such as cable types, connectors, adaptors and special firmware all took their toll. Keypads were engraved, forcing the dealer to order a special new part for each change request.Installer mistakes were commonplace; delays were unavoidable and unused inventory collected dust, all creating extra cost and undermining efficiency.

With multipurpose hardware design, designers can minimize SKU count.

The new way: Multipurpose hardware has dramatically reduced SKU counts from thousands down to double digits, relieving dealers of their bewilderment.For example, new keypad designs with inkjet printouts can be modified on site and printed within minutes, using a wide selection of font styles and sizes saving weeks of engraving delays.

INSTALLATION EFFICIENCY

The old way: Installation was exasperating as the trades required lots of handholding to get their jobs done.It didn’t help when they had old marked-up drawings and inadequate documentation. Working with others on a jobsite chewed up a significant amount of an installation manager’s time.

But emerging software technology and familiar IT tools lower blood pressure and increase efficiency for all involved.

The new way: The new software can be edited and kept up to date in minutes or seconds thereby eliminating the waiting time for others to produce it.Armed with accurate documentation, the dealer now has professional communications tools to hand to other trades on site.The electrician gets a complete set of high voltage wiring plans and the low voltage guys get theirs. These drawings answer a lot of questions that would normally be directed to the installation manager.

Fig. 3. The electrician benefits by receiving automatically generated wiring plans which saves everyone’s time and greatly improves accuracy.

And speaking of installers, now that millions of trained installers and technicians understand IT technology, why not take advantage of that knowledge? Well, it’s happening.New Lighting and Control systems are being designed around CAT5e wiring and standard RJ45 connectors with combined data and power so installation managers can access a talent pool that needs little or no training. That means fewer mistakes, faster troubleshooting and more money for the dealer.

MAINTENANCE EFFICIENCY

The old way: When the client had a system problem he called the dealer who, typically blind about the problem, would dispatch one of his high level techs to troubleshoot.Unless the tech had exactly the right repair parts, this turned into a two-trip ordeal.

With web-connected system monitoring and smart system devices, the dealer can know about a problem before the client does.As a bonus, the dealer will plan maintenance activities rather than simply reacting to problems.

The new way: A new self-monitoring, web-connected system automatically sends an email when a problem occurs.The system often catches problems even before the homeowner knows they exist.Servicing the house is more efficient because the dealer knows in advance what the problem is and sends the proper replacement parts with the repairman.Additionally, the repairman’s skill level can be lower since the new system automatically reprograms replacement modules once they’re in place.The repairman only needs to know to remove the offending module and replace it with a new one – no ID switches to set, no programming necessary.

The old way: After move-in, the client wanted some scene changes.Since the dealer wanted to encourage good future references, he tried to be responsive; however, an after-dark follow up visit is expensive and time consuming, so the dealer was forced to charge for the call.

The new way: A dealer makes scene edits from his office via the web in a few minutes while the client gives him guidance over the phone. He can call up the system at any time via a secure web connection, reprogram it and then remotely test it.He can even download new software and firmware features without making site visits. Both parties are happy and appreciate the minimal effort to complete the job.

CONCLUSION

By adopting emerging new technologies, Lighting and Control dealers will soon witness a dramatic upturn in the efficiency of their skilled personnel. Making better use of the scarce resources already available, dealers can easily double or even triple profits!

About the author: Bill Beierwaltes is the CEO of Colorado vNet and holds BSEE, BSMath and MBA degrees. An entrepreneur for most of his career, Bill has started five companies. When he sold the PC backup business Colorado Memory Systems to HP, his company had a 65% worldwide market share. Before embarking on new ventures, Bill makes a habit of doing serious due diligence, thoroughly investigating the best markets and technologies. He is convinced the Custom Electronics market has a bright future where the company plans to launch many innovative products. Contact Bill at Bill_Beierwaltes@ColoradovNet.com.

How to Make More Sales in Lighting and Control

Colorado vNet — Mon, 01 May 2006 10:13:48 GMT

This is the third in a series of articles by Bill Beierwaltes, CEO, Colorado vNet, addressing technologies that could dramatically change the dealer’s residential systems business. You can contact him at Bill_Beierwaltes@ColoradovNet.com.

Growth has been robust during the past few years but that hasn’t stopped integrators from looking for more. Happily, by applying sound marketing techniques and implementing sales pearls from the field, it’s quite possible to double sales and simultaneously close more profitable opportunities.

When those doubled sales do arrive, it’s important to have the improved efficiencies necessary to accommodate the increased installation load. The path to more efficient installations was covered in my previous Residential Systems article, “Make More Money in Lighting and Control” (www.coloradovnet.com/RSArticle2).

In this article, we’ll focus on getting more sales per salesman, as it’s the salesman’s job to generate more leads, close more high quality sales and put more business into the queue. To share from the best, we’ve gathered success pearls from some of the most successful salesmen in the integrator space, and boiled those pearls down into two areas: Marketing and Presentation Success.

Part 1: Marketing

The Old Way: Nearly all leads come from client referrals.

The New Way: Leads pour in from everywhere: architects, lighting designers, interior designers, former clients, electricians, builders and realtors, as well as the web and other sources generate new leads.

A good marketing campaign makes industry professionals aware of the company and then transforms them into positive referral partners. Those quality referrals become the integrator’s life blood. Once these champions start passing leads your way, your firm, “the recommended one”, has an inside track to win the job. What’s more, your firm may be the only one considered if no other names are offered to the client.

Email Newsletter

One cost-effective way to build a bigger referral team is to publish a monthly email newsletter with eye-catching updates. Writing time is minimal, especially if you use your vendors’ support materials. The email can introduce your referral team to your company’s latest products, services and installations by way of hot links.

The simplest email puts the willing recipient’s name on the blind carbon copy (BCC) line; that way, the recipient sees only his name which makes him think it’s personally addressed to him. The BCC list drawback is that spam filters detect large strings of CC or BCC names and often divert the email.

To prevent spam filters from blocking your emails, consider using an intermediary, known as an email marketing service. These services are inexpensive (under $50 per month) and have some great advantages, such as the ability to individually address emails and partition your list for only selected names or categories. Whether the email is in plain text or html, a secondary benefit is the service’s software tracks how many people clicked on each link and what email address did the clicking.

Fig. 1. In this sample email to the salesman’s Architect contacts, he leverages his vendors’ professional material for links and then writes only a small amount of copy each month before providing it to the email marketing service. The content can be addressed to individuals and tailored to the various audiences like clients, architects, lighting designers, electricians, etc.

To Do: Google “email marketing service” or try http://www.constantcontact.com/ for an effective example.

Simple website

A simple website can be inexpensive but still lucrative. Since your manufacturers need to convey much the same information as you do, one starting point is to copy the format they use or ask them for downloads you can post. A simple web design is not difficult to create and web contractors can implement it quickly and save you money. They can even design pages that let you enter your own material anytime you want. This allows you to keep the site up to date and the costs down.

A good website must be fast, attractive and well organized, but if the site is on page 758 of a Google search, it may as well not exist. A professional web designer boosts the site hit rate by knowing the tricks search engines use to determine a site’s rank. An attractive, professionally designed website optimized for search engines represents an initial investment on the order of $2,000-$4,000, and it will pay for itself in a single sale.

Besides your contact information, consider links to your latest newsletter, installations and testimonials.

To Do: Google “inexpensive website design firms” or try http://www.telluridewebsmith.com for an effective example.

Customize, Customize, Customize

Leads and referrals are a salesman’s insurance policy. They come from people as diverse as clients, architects, electricians, designers (interior and lighting), builders, realtors and more. To reach these people effectively and turn them into champions for your cause, the message must be customized and personalized to their needs, experiences and profession.

Additionally, create a unique strategy for recruiting each member type. Architects, for example, often prefer Lunch-and-Learns in their offices. That’s perfect for the salesman, who now gets to deliver his architect-specific presentation to several people simultaneously. The builder, on the other hand, spends little time at the office and often prefers a laptop or a flip book presentation.

After each presentation, it’s important to schedule follow up calls every 2 months or so. “Out of touch is out of mind” applies to every industry. Treat these resources well because they are one of your best business assets.

Table 1 highlights some message starting points for your different audiences.

Table 1. Each influencer has a different need and needs to hear a different message.

To Do: Create custom messages and strategies for each audience.

Part 2: Presentation Success

The Old Way: Salesmen who were also installers often talked a lot trying to impress clients with their technical knowledge. When meetings were over, clients often felt their needs, anxieties and budget weren’t well understood.

The New Way: Salesmen are more professional. They dress professionally, listen well and use professional sales tools.

The high-achieving salesman is positive. Very positive. He just assumes he’s going to close a high percentage of his sales. He may have started his career as an electrician or an installer, but now that he’s in the role of salesman, he knows the importance of professionalism including appearance, presentation, selling tools, documentation and referrals.

He dresses more like an architect than a technician. He makes a profession out of focused listening. He concentrates on high level benefits and product information, even though he knows the system inside out. He dwells only on what the client wants to know: What is it? Why should I want it? Is it easy to operate? How much does it cost? He handles these questions with ease and assures the client the system will indeed simplify his life and blend with his house.

First Client Meetings

The salesman does his homework, getting the architect, builder or interior designer to share the client’s floorplans before his first client meeting. He then loads the floorplan into his software, adds sample lights and sets up a demonstration program. During the meeting, the salesman demonstrates real-time simulations using his lighting programs on the client’s own floorplan. The typical client response is WOW!

Also during that initial meeting, the salesman discusses scope and budget to learn how to position his first proposal. He takes the data back to the office and creates his plan for lighting and control using the floorplan software. He moves quickly since it takes as little as 2 to 3 hours to do a 10,000 SF house. From the plan, automatic floorplan drawings are plotted, accurate bills of materials are created, and profit analyses are generated. Armed with these tools, the salesman goes into the second meeting and again impresses the client with his professionalism. The client would never expect formal plans to be presented or such a complete equipment list. The salesman’s chances of success are hovering around 100%.

Fig. 2: The printed proposal automatically falls out of the floorplan-based software. (For example see Colorado vNet Builder Software at www.coloradovnet.com/builder )

To Do: Always be professional and well prepared – salesmen who are, almost always win.

Sales Tools

Imagine covering your sales presentation in 1/3 the time. It’s easy if your core information is presented in a linear, efficient manner. The key is to use a slide show (data projector, laptop screen or printouts in a flip book) which speaks to major features and benefits. After seeing the slide show, the client gets it quickly and fully engages. Leaving a printout of the slides with the client helps him remember key points later on.

Salesmen are significantly more effective when they can create Power Point presentations on their own. After a creating the first few slide shows, the next ones are fast and easy. At that point, salesmen can client-customize a generic slide show in a matter of minutes.

Demo cases, software simulators, professional documentation and hardware show-and-tells are all effective sales tools and provide great returns when used. Even though sales tools may seem old hat to the salesman, they’re always fresh and appreciated by the clients.

To Do: Learn Power Point and create your own high impact slide shows for each customer type.

Quality of Sale

The professional salesman should ask himself, “Is this going to be a profitable client?” He must learn to focus on the good ones and let the others go. As most integrators know, some clients claim to be all-knowing or insist on going over the details about every connector, byte and lumen. These may be the ones to let go. Similarly, if the client fixates on price, the arrangement may not be good either. One quality sale can easily equal two low margin sales.

To Do: Always ask yourself, “Is this going to be a profitable client?”

Conclusion

It’s easy. By using inexpensive, time-tested marketing techniques to recruit a referral team, an integration salesman can dramatically increase the number of leads. Then applying professional sales techniques to those all-important early client meetings, he will capture all the high quality business the firm can handle. And technology vendors, such as Colorado vNet, can help by supporting the salesman with professional sales tools and effective products.

Transparent Technology

Colorado vNet — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

With its warm woods and decadent finishes, this upscale residence offers proof that a high-tech home needn't be sterile to get its groove on. The ideal home-automation system is so seamless that it's nearly invisible, and can happily coexist with any style of interior design, including one that harks back to a rich past. In the InSync Home, Cat-5e structured wiring by Honeywell is woven through an open web truss system, serving up broadband access to nearly every room in the house. Strategically stationed wireless access points turn the entire residence into a hot spot.

The ultimate tie that binds is an integrated technology network by manufacturer Colorado vNet—a secret ingredient that makes life's little luxuries taste sweeter and life's many chores more palatable. Wall-mounted touchscreens are strategically interspersed throughout the floor plan and always within reach. These LCD panels can be accessed to control and activate a variety of subsystems, including landscape lighting, home security, HVAC, window coverings, retractable screens, ceiling fans, and outdoor water features. Touchpads also connect to a 10-zone distributed audio system, complete with an integrated music server channeling an AM/FM tuner, multiple iPod docks, and satellite radio. The touchscreen interface is intuitive and puts tech support contact information for both the manufacturer (Colorado vNet) and integrator/ installer (Wilson Technologies) at the homeowner's fingertips, 24/7.

Supreme lighting controls are another fine feature. With labeled dimmer panels in every room, it's easy to toggle just the right mood from a host of recessed and hanging lights, including incandescent, low-voltage, and halogen bulbs. Select lighting systems in walk-in closets and pantries are activated by motion sensors for convenience. (No need to worry about hitting the switch when your arms are full of groceries or dry cleaning.)

All that, and the home-automation system also has diagnostic capabilities to boot. Electrical consumption can be tracked over time, and lighting controls can be calibrated for energy efficiency. “If one of the dimmer modules is set to run a load of lights to maximum brightness, we can reprogram the threshold to max out at 75 percent to 80 percent. The difference will be virtually indiscernible to the eye, but you'll see it on your utility bill,” says Dave Wilson, president of Wilson Technologies, the technology integrator on the project. Special lighting modes can also be programmed and activated for parties, seasonal shifts in natural light, or times when the owners are away on vacation.

The home-automation network is self-regulating and modular, meaning the entire system won't go down if one component goes bad. “There is not one central point of power, so there's never any instance when the homeowner would need to have analog control,” explains Wilson. “The system architecture is similar to what you'd find in a Mercedes. If one keypad goes out, it can be swapped out and replaced, at which point the system intuitively reconfigures it to sync back up with the network. In the interim, the homeowner can control the system via one of the home's other touchscreens. There is no reprogramming required by the end user.” Back-up generators ensure that the system remains operational even in the event of a power failure.

HOME RUN

You would expect a technology-focused house to be loaded with a sophisticated lineup of home-automation features. This is certainly true for the InSync Home, which goes even further with products and features that are a step above your average digital home.

The design team wanted a tech package that makes life easier for builders as well as buyers, so they chose Colorado vNet for a variety of products, including lighting controls, touchscreens, and audio servers and controls.

Many companies offer integrated home-automation products, but Colorado vNet differentiates itself “through ease of use, reduced number of SKUs for the integrator, and reduced installation time for the builder,” says Dave Wilson, president of tech integrator Wilson Technologies. “It's also easy for the builder to integrate.”

Lighting is one area of differentiation. Instead of a main, centrally located panel, the home features 23 small dimming modules that are strategically placed in an upstairs mechanical room and in the garage; each controls an individual lighting scene.

Because the modules are split between two locations in the house, the shorter runs reduce installation costs by cutting down on the amount of copper wiring that would be used in a traditional installation. The modules make installation easier because the integrator has to fish less wire. Additionally, the modules have embedded self-diagnostic script for remote error reporting. “The modules are monitored constantly by Colorado vNet to check if a [key]pad is functioning,” Wilson says.

The house features a variety of other products, too. There are three types of audio and lighting controls: touchpads that adjust backlight and LED intensity to match room levels; five- and eight-button labeled keypads that are easy to understand; and 10 touchscreen amplifiers that control digital audio sources—such as iPods and DVDs. Bezels come in black or white or can be painted. An audio server stores up to 1,250 CDs in uncompressed WAV format and delivers six unique digital audio streams simultaneously over Internet protocol. (It can accept an optional AM/FM tuner as well.)

The Colorado vNet system, says Wilson, allows the builder to provide a system that easily integrates with the design of the home, making the process painless.

By Jenny Sullivan

LET THERE BE LIGHT: Landscape lights are triggered at dusk by an astronomical time clock. Timers can also be set to partially or completely close window blinds during peak sun hours to minimize solar heat gain inside the house.

DIGITAL DJ: Distributed audio by Colorado vNet provides ready access to multiple iPod music libraries, a 1,250 CD audio server, multiple tuners, and satellite radio. The space-saving server functions like a chassis and holds a series of media “blades” as thin as CD cases. (The blades replace traditional stereo and TV components, but they take up much less space and they consolidate controls for all of these different components into a single system interface.) These blades include not just stereo components, but also DVD and cable box blades. Say good-bye to traditional, stacked, heat-generating black boxes.

LIGHT BOXES: The home is outfitted with 23 space-saving dimmer modules, discreetly fitted into wall cavities in an upstairs mechanical/storage room and in the garage.

Colorado vNet Vibe Audio Distribution System

Colorado vNet — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

by John Sciacca

Last year, I reviewed NetStreams' DigiLinX, an advanced IP-based audio system that captured our Editor's Choice Award for multiroom product of the year. So my curiosity was piqued when I heard about the Colorado vNet Vibe audio distribution system. Not only did the company claim to offer similarly cutting-edge IP audio distribution and sound quality, but also an affordable touchpanel interface. Plus, Vibe promised ultrasimple installation and virtually no programming. This I had to see.

SETUP The typical Vibe system starts with a dedicated audio server and IP encoders for legacy audio components. These are ultimately wired to a touchscreen controller/digital amplifier in each zone that drives your speakers. Wiring a Vibe system couldn't be much easier. And, since system components connect using standard Cat-5 data cabling -- at about 25¢ a foot, some of the least expensive wire around -- it couldn't be much cheaper, either.

Components communicate via a network router or switch, and Colorado vNet recommends creating a separate Vibe network (independent from your computer network) to maintain reliability. Depending on the number of Vibe components, Colorado vNet offers three switches: 8-port ($270), 16-port ($200), and 24-port ($860).

Vibe components connect to the network switch via Cat-5, and the speakers attach directly to the Vibe Color Touchscreen Amplifiers (the in-wall CA1-70, $1,300, or the desktop CA1-70D, $1,450) with standard speaker cable. Each touchscreen also includes line-level audio outputs configurable for either fixed or variable output -- perfect for large rooms requiring an external amp to drive multiple speakers or for adding extra bada-boom via a subwoofer.

The touchscreens receive power from AC adapters that can be wired in one of two ways. Ideally, running an additional two-conductor cable along with the Cat-5 ensures that each panel delivers its full 70-watt output. But if only one Cat-5 is available -- say, in a retrofit -- Colorado vNet offers the PC1-1 power coupler ($30) to allow both power and control signals to travel over a single Cat-5.

The rear panel of the Vibe Audio Server (available as the 500-GB, three-stream AS1-800/3, $3,150, or the 800-GB, six-stream AS1-1250/6, $4,750) looks like no audio component you've ever seen before, with nary a single RCA jack to be found! Besides power, the only connections are two Ethernet jacks: one for the Colorado vNet network and the other for broadband Internet through your home network. All audio signals -- as many as 16 of them -- travel over a single Cat-5 wire.

Either server can be outfitted with up to 10 TR1-1B Vibe AM/FM Tuner Blades ($390 each). These cards plug into the chassis in about 10 seconds. (Colorado vNet plans to add Sirius, XM, and HD Radio modules shortly). Vibe also supports the world's favorite portable music player, the iPod, with the ID1-1 Vibe Dock for iPod ($390). Since the dock connects via a single Cat-5, it can be installed anywhere in the home.

Finally, existing audio gear (such as cable boxes or CD players) is supported by the AE1-1 Vibe Audio Encoder ($390). The AE1-1 accepts analog and coaxial or optical digital signals and transforms them into IP for streaming over the network.

Once components are connected to the network switch, it's time for "commissioning." This involves discovering and naming the components. The whole process uses Colorado vNet's Producer software and is ridiculously easy. Commissioning my system took about 5 minutes and didn't require a single look at the instruction manual. Of course, one reason the programming is so fast is that no customization of the panels is allowed. Fortunately, the premade touchscreen templates are well designed and provide all needed control options.

PERFORMANCE Right out of the gate, I was impressed by how much this system offers in such a tiny footprint. A single Vibe server can send out up to 16 independent streams (six from the server and as many as 10 AM/FM). An entire house can be driven from this one box, which installs in 5 minutes and connects with just one wire. To an installer who has spent many a full day in a cramped audio closet connecting gear, this is truly awe-inspiring.

Ultimately, a multiroom system's success lies with its control interface. A system must be easy enough for everyone to use, or it doesn't matter how great it looks or sounds. Here, the Vibe scores an A+. Not only does the 7-inch ultra-widescreen LCD (480 x 234) look great; its buttons are well spaced for easy operation, and its interface is phenomenally intuitive and easy to use. I handed the touchscreen to both my wife and brother with the only instruction, "Here. See if you can make this work." Within seconds, both navigated to the iPod and started browsing for music. The Vibe system might be the reigning ease-of-use champion.

Modern distribution systems must also display metadata -- the album, artist, and track information embedded in digital audio files and some broadcasts. Fortunately, all of the Vibe components provide this, including the Audio Server, the iPod dock, and even the AM/FM blades, which deliver track info from Radio Data System signals (when available). Additionally, the touchscreens display album art from the server. The only time you're on your own is when you're streaming over the audio encoders.

Like many hard disk-based A/V components, the Vibe Audio Server includes a loud fan and should be located away from listening areas. Beyond loading discs via the server's 40X CD drive, music can be transferred from your existing PCs to the server through the vNet network using Colorado vNet's Director software, which is also used to create playlists. The server's broadband network connection lets it look up album information that's not recognized by the onboard AMG database.

Interestingly, the Audio Server supports only uncompressed WAV files. While this may be great for sound quality if you're ripping straight to the server, it's not so great for all of those compressed songs already on your hard drive. Fortunately, the Audio Server converts MP3, WMA, AAC, and AIFF files to WAV upon transfer to make them compatible for playback. Although this takes up more storage space on the server and won't raise sound quality back to that of the uncompressed original, it won't degrade sound quality, either.

Given that this is a system built around network distribution, I was surprised -- and disappointed -- that you can't control any components from Web-enabled devices. Once you've tried controlling a system from a remote room with a laptop, wireless PDA, or cellphone, it's hard to go back.

Audible delay (sound arriving at different rooms at slightly different times) is a hurdle that IP-based systems have had to overcome. If you're playing the same tunes in different zones simultaneously -- during a party, for example -- the ear can detect even small differences. Although there wasn't any noticeable delay between zones when using Vibe components, there was about a half-second delay from "live" programming when using the Vibe Audio Encoder. That was enough to make it unusable when trying to sync my cable box output to the picture in a remote room. This could also be a problem if you're trying to play an audio source -- such as a CD -- on a sound system and running the same source through an Encoder for playback in remote rooms.

Each touchscreen's stereo digital amplifier is rated 35 watts per channel and handles 4-ohm or greater loads, allowing a single touchscreen to drive two pairs of speakers if needed. Though the amps produced moderate to fairly loud listening levels, as I approached the upper range of the volume scale, audio started sounding strained and harsh, forcing me to back down. Additionally, the volume ramps up so slowly that the first third of the scale produces almost no output; the "sweet spot" for listening ended up being in the 50-60% range with my speakers. I did love that each touchscreen features a five-band equalizer to tailor the sound for each room. Each also includes a built-in IR receiver and comes with a handheld remote for operating the system away from the screen.

BOTTOM LINE For less than $1,700 you could pick up a single Vibe Touchscreen Amplifier and iPod dock and enjoy your Pod-tunes like never before. Even better, these components serve as the building blocks of a powerful audio distribution system expandable to 40 touchscreens with 20 simultaneous streams.

Further, the Colorado vNet Vibe audio distribution system easily integrates with Colorado vNet's lighting-control products. So, it not only fills your house with sound via one of the easiest interfaces around, it can also light up your world. As an installer and consumer, that leaves me with a really good vibe!

Street of Dreams

Colorado vNet — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Audioholics Editorial: 2007 Electronic House Expo (EHX) Long Beach

Colorado vNet — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Spotlight: In Control

Colorado vNet — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

DBC Automation Completes Towering Install in New Jersey

Colorado vNet — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Retro Perspective

Colorado vNet — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Colorado vNet Supports CCTV

Colorado vNet — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Colorado vNet expands with CCTV camera integration

Colorado vNet — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Colorado vNet Expands Home Automation with CCTV

Colorado vNet — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Colorado vNet Integrates CCTV with System

Colorado vNet — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Finding and Fixing a Home's Power Hogs

Colorado vNet — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Control with a Personal Touch

Colorado vNet — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Colorado vNet Targets MDUs with AS2-400/3 Audio Server

Colorado vNet — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Colorado vNet Adds ‘Vibe’ to Smaller Homes

Colorado vNet — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Simplifying the Complex

Colorado vNet — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Colorado vNet Has Your Weather Forecast

Colorado vNet — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Colorado vNet's Vibe Video Server System

Colorado vNet — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

At Colorado vNet, the Vibe is Sales Growth

Colorado vNet — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Colorado vNet Automation LEEDS to Energy Savings

Colorado vNet — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Leading with Lighting

Colorado vNet — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Colorado vNet Bulks Up Security Blanket

Colorado vNet — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Colorado vNet Security Systems Add DSC, GE Integration

Colorado vNet — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Colorado vNet in the South Sound Idea House

Colorado vNet — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Bright Ideas Begin Here

Colorado vNet — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Digital Content Becomes More Compelling

Colorado vNet — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Colorado vNet Reports Double-Digit Q1 Sales Growth

Colorado vNet — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Colorado vNet on ComputerTalk with Dave Mason®

Colorado vNet — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Home of the Year: Animal Prints Help Keep Theater Roaring

Colorado vNet — Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Colorado vNet Arrives in Australia

Colorado vNet — Fri, 08 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Colorado vNet Secures Funding, Plans Expansion

Colorado vNet — Tue, 26 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Colorado vNet AV Servers Easy To Set-Up

Colorado vNet — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Home of the Year Finalist: Plentiful Automation a Recipe for Condo Kitchen’s Success

Colorado vNet — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Playing the Trump Card

Colorado vNet — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Contemporary Home's Blueprint for Being Green

Colorado vNet — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Putting Energy into Light Control

Colorado vNet — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Colorado vNet Goes International

Colorado vNet — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Russound, vNet Prepare Broad Product, Program Launch

Colorado vNet — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

vNet Outlines Product Roadmap

Colorado vNet — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Russound, on Collage, Colorado vNet - and Russound

Colorado vNet — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Colorado vNet Introduces a Powerful New Automation System at CEDIA

Colorado vNet — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 12:00:00 GMT

With a unique user interface and designed to operate without a central computer, the Colorado vNet system is one of the most scalable, flexible and easy-to-install systems ever created.

CEDIA EXPO 2005 Sept. 9-11 Booth #2059

Colorado vNet will unveil its new Home Automation System featuring a powerful touch- sensitive electronic Touchpad (TP1-1D), behind which lies one of the most scalable, flexible and easy-to-install systems ever created.

Colorado vNet's unique home automation system is a distributed intelligence solution designed to operate without a central computer. This reduces the cost for smaller installations and increases the reliability for larger ones by removing the possibility of a single point of failure that would render a traditional system inoperable. The system operates with control, input and communication modules linked by a high performance bus.

The system works on a simple input, control and communication process. The Keypad replaces traditional light switches and issues commands to control the system. The Dimming Module is the workhorse of most automation systems. The Colorado vNet Dimming Module listens for events such as keypad presses, motion sensor triggers or timing events and then respond by setting its lights to pre-defined levels. The Starhub distributes messages and power among the system modules, while monitoring its own operating state to alert the system of any problems.

The Colorado vNet Home Automation System's user interface is radically different from anything else on the market. In addition to standard mechanical keypads, Colorado vNet has designed a new touch sensitive electronic Touchpad. The Colorado vNet TP1-1D Touchpad uses capacitive technology to react and execute commands based on a single touch or the duration of a touch. A single tap can switch lights on and off, control a motor (i.e. drapes, ceiling fans or pool covers) or control a pre-programmed event schedule. A longer touch can dim lights up and down, eliminating the need for multiple buttons to control related functions. The Touchpad has no moving parts, just a removable acrylic membrane which allows the customization of background graphics and button labels in just minutes and configurable in literally hundreds of combinations to respond to the diverse range of customer needs.

The system functions autonomously while modules effectively communicate directly with each other, thereby eliminating the possibility of system failure and allowing for future expansion or upgrades. Other key advantages include the capacity to self-monitor and alter the system behavior via the Internet and the ability to scale from a small home theater to a large commercial building consisting of 8,000 individual modules.

Colorado vNet's highly-evolved vNet Builder™ software provides integrators with step-by-step help in designing and configuring a homeowner's system. The software includes a simulator which makes it easy to demonstrate to customers exactly what individual pre-determined scenes will look like.

Colorado vNet has concentrated on developing a system intelligent enough to solve most of the headaches previously involved in creating a whole-home solution by making this product remarkably easy to install and significantly lowering the number of products needed to implement the system.

Pricing for Colorado vNet's Home Automation System, along with the new TP1-1D Touchpad, will be announced at CEDIA.

Offering exceptional reliability, scalability and flexibility in application, Colorado vNet is committed
to providing premium intelligent solutions for whole-house automation and digital distributed audio solutions. Installation and building professionals will see and hear the difference, as Colorado vNet delivers high-quality, cost-effective products; with an ease-of-use and installation that has taken digital distributed audio and lighting control to a whole new level.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:		Phone	347.497.4965
		Email	pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Introduces New Touchpad

Colorado vNet — Wed, 07 Sep 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Colorado vNet is the first in the home automation industry to introduce a revolutionary new device that redefines the way homeowners interact with their automation system.

Sleek, stylish and contemporary, the new Colorado vNet touchpad is set to become the industry standard replacement for light switches, dimmers and keypads.

The key feature of the touchpad is that it enables the dealer or integrator to carry just one product with dozens of configurability options, rather than the multiple products they had to carry in the past.

The touchpad is remarkably flexible and can be fitted either vertically or horizontally within any standard Decora plate. In place of rubbery keypad buttons, a fingertip touched to the plastic surface operates the button. The 'feel' of the touchpad is described by users as infinitely more modern and satisfying than previous keypads.

The second major innovation is the ability to customize background graphics and button labels in just minutes. This replaces the laborious process of engraving traditional keypads and makes it a snap to change the labels to suit reprogramming.

The touchpad can also modify its behavior to react to the duration of the touch. A single tap can switch lights on and off, control a motor (for instance, drapes, ceiling fans and pool covers) or control a pre-programmed scene comprising multiple control functions. A longer touch can slew lights up and down, eliminating the need for multiple buttons to control related functions.

The washable plastic cover is designed to last for years, and the unit is extremely durable due to containing no mechanical parts. It also features a backlight which reacts to ambient lighting to provide the appropriate backlighting level for any situation. Discreet LEDs and audible feedback assure the user that their commands have been implemented.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:		Phone	347.497.4965
		Email	pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Introduces a Powerful New Automation System at EHX

Colorado vNet — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 00:00:00 GMT

With a unique user interface, and designed to operate without a central computer, the Colorado vNet system is one of the most scalable, flexible and easy-to-install systems ever created.

EHX Fall, Anaheim CA 11/9/05 - 11/11/05

Colorado vNet will demonstrate its new Home Automation System featuring a powerful touch-sensitive electronic Touchpad (TP1-1D) at EHX Fall.

Colorado vNet's home automation system is a distributed intelligence solution designed to operate without a central computer. This reduces the cost for smaller installations and increases the reliability for larger ones by removing the possibility of a single point of failure that would render a traditional system inoperable.

The system works on a simple input, control and communication process linked by a high-performance bus. The electronic Touchpad replaces traditional light switches and issues commands to control the system. The Colorado vNet Dimming Module listens for events such as Touchpad finger-contact, motion sensor triggers or timing events, and then responds by setting its lights to pre-defined levels. The Starhub distributes messages and power among the system modules, while monitoring its own operating state to alert the system of any problems.

The Touchpad has no moving parts, just a removable acrylic membrane which allows the customization of background graphics and button labels in minutes. It is configurable in literally hundreds of combinations to respond to the diverse range of customer needs, thereby eliminating the need for dealers and installers to carry a bewildering array of SKUs.

The individual modules effectively communicate directly with each other, thereby eliminating the possibility of system failure and allowing for future expansion or upgrades. Other key advantages include the capacity to self-monitor and alter the system behavior via the Internet and the ability to scale from a small home theater to a large commercial building consisting of 8,000 individual modules.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:		Phone	347.497.4965
		Email	pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Recognized as Innovations Award Honoree at CES

Colorado vNet — Tue, 15 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Colorado vNet, provider of premium whole-house automation and audio solutions, has been announced as an Honoree of the 2006 Innovations Design and Engineering Awards. Colorado vNet's Touchpad (TP1-1D) was selected by the Consumer Electronic Association (CEA) in the Integrated Home Systems category.

Honoring outstanding design and engineering in consumer electronics, the Innovations Awards are presented annually and showcased at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the largest trade show in America.

The prestigious award was presented specifically for Colorado vNet's revolutionary Touchpad which re-defines the nature of home automation input controls. Using capacitive technology Colorado vNet has created a touch-sensitive fully-electronic input control device that replaces traditional switches, dimmers and keypads.

"To date, traditional home automation control systems have not incorporated the level of style necessary to blend with high-end homes," says Bill Beierwaltes, CEO of Colorado vNet. "We felt we could improve significantly on the human interface while retaining an elegant behind-the-scenes solution. Now we've managed to combine supremely good looks and ergonomics with a superior system architecture."

One of the key benefits of the Touchpad to the home integrator is that it is configurable in multiple templates to enable anything from one to eight control buttons in a single SKU, thus eliminating the need to carry large amounts of inventory.

Colorado vNet has also done away with the laborious engraving process that most keypads use to specify button legends, enabling the integrator to print custom labels and backgrounds to fit the needs of the homeowner in just minutes.

"We wanted to create a control interface that was as attractive to the integrator as it was to the homeowner," continues Beierwaltes. "It had to do things no other keypad could do, as well as be simple to install and of course, simple to use. We believe that this important award justifies the hard work our team has put in over the last three years and is a testament to our commitment to delivering innovative world-class products."

The Colorado vNet Touchpad TP1-1D will be featured at the Innovations 2006 Design and Engineering Showcase, Booth #72444 at Innovations Plus in the Sands Expo and Convention Center from Wednesday, January 4 until Friday, January 6, 2006.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:		Phone	347.497.4965
		Email	pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Touchpad Receives Innovative Design Award

Colorado vNet — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Loveland, CO - April 12, 2006 - Colorado vNet, provider of premium whole-house automation and distributed audio solutions, has been recognized by the Consumer Electronic Association for the innovative design of its home automation control, the Colorado vNet TP1-1D Touchpad.

Elegantly simple, intuitive in its ease of use, the Colorado vNet Touchpad represents a union of quality appearance, ergonomic design and superior system architecture. Sensitive to fingertip touches, the Colorado vNet Touchpad can be customized to command a wide range of home automation applications. Multiple possibilities with one SKU offer dealer convenience as well.

The Consumer Electronic Association (CEA) has named the Colorado vNet TP1-1D Touchpad a 2006 Mark of Excellence winner. Mark of Excellence Awards single out products and companies poised at the leading edge of innovation in the home automation industry.

Companies and products CEA honors are showcased at the largest trade show in the nation, the annual International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

"We're proud of the fact that the Colorado vNet Touchpad has solved a problem traditionally seen in home automation control systems," says Bill Beierwaltes, CEO of Colorado vNet. "Too often, the visible elements of these systems fail to blend with the style of high-end homes." Not so with the Colorado vNet Touchpad. Its sleek, customizable appearance combined with superior system architecture serves up a complete solution.

"The Colorado vNet Touchpad offers several key benefits," says Craig Ogawa, research and development manager. "It features customizable 'soft buttons', labels and backgrounds. Buttons can be set up in a variety of templates, allowing maximum flexibility. It also features a back light that automatically adjusts to ambient light levels. The Colorado vNet Touchpad can truly be tailored to individual needs."

Dealers, too, will find a variety of benefits go along with the Colorado vNet Touchpad. One product - Colorado vNet Touchpad - with one SKU, configurable in dozens of button arrangements eliminates the need for large amounts of inventory. Colorado vNet Touchpad can serve multiple needs.

Colorado vNet also has done away with the laborious engraving process most keypads require to specify button legends. Custom printed labels and backgrounds, designed to homeowner needs, can be produced in just seconds. The result - a fully customized legend - is simple to create, quick to install and clearly identifies each button's function.

"This CEA honor recognizes more than a product," Beierwaltes notes. "This award honors our team's commitment and years of hard work toward bringing vision to reality. The Colorado vNet Touchpad embodies our company motto: Life simplified."

Colorado vNet Press Contact:		Phone	347.497.4965
		Email	pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Touchpad wins EH Product of the Year Award

Colorado vNet — Mon, 14 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Loveland, CO, August 14, 2006 - Colorado vNet's TP1-1D Touchpad has been awarded Electronic House Magazine's prestigious Product of the Year award. Selected from among hundreds of entries, the ultra-modern Touchpad was chosen based on technological innovation, overall value and outstanding features.

The TP1-1D Touchpad utilizes a capacitive touch-sensitive surface to electronically interpret the touch location of a finger and map it to the software, permitting unique button sizes, locations and functions (on, off, dim, brighten, volume up, fan speed down, etc.). Control commands, status feedback, and power are all provided via a single CAT-5e connection.

"The vote for Product of the Year is always a challenge, because there are so many excellent and innovative products to choose from," states Cindy Davis, Editor-in-Chief for Electronic House. "It's a democratic process, and although it's fun, it has got to be one of our most difficult jobs."

The TP1-1D Touchpad interfaces with Colorado vNet's CAN (Control Area Network) lighting and control network, the same system architecture designed for use in braking systems of today's automobiles. Integrators can program button layout and function from a wide variety of configuration choices and create customized labeling for the Touchpad to complement any room dÃ©cor.

About Electronic House magazine
Electronic House, an EH Publishing, Inc. magazine is the leading consumer publication that focuses on all aspects of the electronic home. In authoritative articles, Electronic House covers home theater, multiroom entertainment, home control, wireless communications, energy management, home networking, and high-speed wiring. Electronic House readers want to have the best technology in their homes and Electronic House provides easy-to-read information enabling them to make informed buying decisions. www.electronichouse.com.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:		Phone	347.497.4965
		Email	pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Introduces Vibe Audio Server

Colorado vNet — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 13:08:10 GMT

Loveland, CO - Colorado vNet, the award-winning manufacturer of high-end lighting, control, and distributed audio systems, introduces a pair of digital audio servers, the AS1-800/3 and AS1-1250/6. The two products are components of the company's popular new Vibe IP-based digital distributed audio system.

Vibe AS1-1250/6 Audio Server.

Both 2RU rack mountable audio servers store music files in uncompressed .WAV format, delivering crystal-clear, CD-quality audio to every Vibe Touchscreen Amplifier on the Vibe System. The ultimate music library, Vibe Audio Servers stream digital audio over IP (Internet Protocol) without the downfall of possibly causing a system-wide failure.

The AS1-800/3 can hold 800 CDs in its 500GB harddrive and broadcast 3 unique audio streams simultaneously, while the AS1-1250/6 stores 1,250 CDs in its 800GB of memory and sends out 6 individual streams. Metadata (artist, album, track titles, album art, etc) from AMG's database can be displayed on every Color Touchscreen Amplifier. Rear expansion slots can house up to 10 AM/FM Tuner Blades, giving a system 10 additional unique audio streams.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:		Phone	347.497.4965
		Email	pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Introduces Vibe Color Touchscreen Amplifier

Colorado vNet — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 14:08:10 GMT

Loveland, CO - Colorado vNet is proud to present the Vibe CA1-70 Color Touchscreen Amplifier, a key component of the new Vibe distributed digital audio system. The flush-mounted 7" active matrix screen delivers stunning graphics, source selection and control, as well as 70 Watts of uncompressed, CD-quality digital audio.

Vibe Color Touchscreen Amplifier with blue background.

The Color Touchscreen Amplifier provides unprecedented access and control over the entire range of input sources that comprise the Vibe system, including the trend-setting Vibe Server, satellite and AM/FM radio, various iPod® models, as well as CD and tape players. Metadata (artist, album, track titles, track times, genre, and even album cover art) is available at any display in the system. A wide range of control functions are also accessible from every Color Touchscreen including volume, mute, on-board 5-band graphic equalizer, speaker balance, sleep timer, LCD contrast, brightness, and other personalized display settings.

The integrated Class D digital amplifier supplies 35 Watts of power to stereo output channels (70W total), eliminating the need for an external amplifier. Systems designers can also take advantage of the selectable Fixed/Variable Line Out connector to incorporate a powered subwoofer. Paintable black and white bezels (included) add an elegant finishing touch.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:		Phone	347.497.4965
		Email	pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet introduces the Vibe Audio System

Colorado vNet — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 15:08:10 GMT

Loveland, CO - Colorado vNet, award-winning creator of visionary lighting, control, and distributed audio systems, has introduced the Vibe System. The highly-anticipated Vibe Audio System is now shipping and has already been acclaimed as the first truly pre-integrated system of its kind, merging award-winning style with power, performance and unprecedented control to create a fully digital IP-based system that delivers reference-quality sound to every room in the house.

The Vibe System is driven by the Vibe Touchscreen Amplifier, an elegant and powerful control center whose flush-mounted 7-inch active wide screen display offers full access and control of the wide range of audio sources on the System. The Vibe Touchscreen Amplifier also displays full Metadata information, including album cover art. The Vibe Touchscreen Amplifier's integrated Class-D amplifier supplies 70 Watts of power, eliminating the need for external amplifiers.

Also integral to the Vibe System is the Vibe Audio Server. Available in two models, the Vibe Audio Server stores up to 1250 CDs in uncompressed .WAV format, delivering up to six independent audio streams of crystal-clear, reference-quality audio to any room in the house. The Vibe Audio Server stores full AMG Metadata, including album cover art, for display at any Vibe Touchscreen Amplifier, and the Server's internal expansion slots can host up to ten AM/FM tuner blades to provide additional unique audio streams.

The Vibe System also provides connectivity and control for a wide range of audio sources, including iPod, satellite and AM/FM radio, CD and tape players and more. Vibe is the product of thousands of hours of research and design by some of the best minds in technology today, offering flexibility and scalability in design, as well as uncompressed digital audio, unequalled control and styling of unprecedented elegance.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:		Phone	347.497.4965
		Email	pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Makes Waves at CEDIA

Colorado vNet — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 08:08:10 GMT

DENVER, CO…...CEDIA, the Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association, has confirmed that this year’s EXPO 2006 in Denver was the largest and most successful in the organization’s 17-year history, with attendance figures estimated at more than eight percent over last year’s record numbers.

And there was nary a dull moment at Colorado vNet’s booth as the company greeted a non-stop flow of visitors interested in checking out the highly-anticipated Vibe Audio System. Merging power, performance and unprecedented control with award-winning stylling, Vibe is a fully digital IP-based system that delivers reference-quality sound to every room in the house.

The company showed their Vibe Touchscreen Amplifier, an elegant and powerful control center with flush-mounted, 7-inch active wide screen display. The Vibe Touchscreen seamlessly integrates with Colorado vNet’s audio and lighting systems, offering full access and control of audio and lighting sources via stylish, easy-to-read touch panel displays.

Also shown at CEDIA was the Vibe Audio Server, which stores up to 1250 CDs in uncompressed .WAV format and delivers up to six independent audio streams of crystal-clear, reference-quality audio to any room in the house. The Vibe Audio Server also stores full AMG Metadata, including album cover art, for display at any Vibe Touchscreen Amplifier.

Colorado vNet’s acclaimed lighting and control system componentry was also on display at the show, highlighted by the multiple-award winning TP2-1D Touchpad and Dimming Module. Introduced last year, the system has received numerous awards and rave reviews to date.

Colorado vNet manufactures an elite range of intelligent solutions for whole-house control of lighting and distributed digital audio. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet offers the next level in automation, with products that are elegantly crafted, quick to install and easy to use. For additional information about Colorado vNet and our award-winning products, visit www.coloradovnet.com or call 1-800-987-VNET (8638).

Colorado vNet Press Contact:		Phone	347.497.4965
		Email	pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Expands Service to Dealers and Integrators with Promotion of Rob Pries to Manager of Pre-Sales Technical Support

Colorado vNet — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 13:08:10 GMT

Loveland, CO - Colorado vNet announces the promotion of Rob Pries to Manager of Pre-Sales Technical Support. In this role Pries will be chartered with supervising all technical assistance needed by Colorado vNet dealers and integrators as they develop client proposals utilizing Colorado vNet's lighting, control, and Vibe digital distributed audio systems.

Mike Malone, Colorado vNet's Vice President of Sales, noted, "The number of dealer and integrator relationships we have developed, and the frequency that they are proposing our solutions to their clients, has grown so rapidly that to professionally support them we needed to dedicate some of our very best people. Rob is a perfect fit for this new role".

Craig Rossi, the president of Rossi Electric, Inc. said, "As we have grown our business with Colorado vNet, we have developed a strong relationship with the company. Rob has been key in helping us on some very significant projects. His industry experience and technical skills have really made a difference in expanding our business".

"Rob's understanding of the custom integration business and relationships with the custom integration dealers in the Rocky Mountain region have helped them more profitably apply the Colorado vNet solutions", said Rich Arnett, Regional Sales Manager for Colorado vNet.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:		Phone	347.497.4965
		Email	pr@coloradovnet.com

Centennial Marketing is Named as Colorado vNet's Representative for Rocky Mountain Region

Colorado vNet — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 13:08:10 GMT

Loveland, CO - Colorado vNet is pleased to announce the selection of Centennial Marketing, with offices in Denver, CO, and Salt Lake City, UT, as their manufacturer's sales representative for the Rocky Mountain Region. The territory will include Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana and portions of Idaho.

Rich Arnett, Colorado vNet's Regional Sales Manager, stated, "Centennial is one of the most experienced and successful rep firms in the region. Their product lines are an ideal compliment to Colorado vNet's products, and they have a great reputation with the custom installation dealers."

Keith Haas, President of Centennial Marketing, says of the announcement, "We are very pleased to be affiliated with Colorado vNet. Their products offer outstanding performance, quality, and value. They fill key categories in the home automation, distributed audio and custom installation marketplaces. We are especially impressed with the company's management team under the leadership of Bill Beierwaltes (CEO, Colorado vNet)".

"Centennial Marketing's quality relationships with the custom integration dealers in the (Rocky Mountain) region are an excellent match for the technology leadership that Colorado vNet brings to home automation and the distributed audio market", said Arnett.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:		Phone	347.497.4965
		Email	pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Wins Excite Award

Colorado vNet — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 14:08:10 GMT

Loveland, CO - Custom Retailer magazine, produced by the Consumer Technology Publishing Group, has recognized Colorado vNet as a winner of this year’s EXC!TE Award for “most EXC!TING Lighting Control system.” The award was presented in recognition of Colorado vNet’s groundbreaking lighting and control system, featuring the TP2-1D Touchpad and the DM1-8 Dimming Module. Colorado vNet’s lighting control system provides full, customized access and control of lighting scenes, shades, fireplaces, motors, and other furnishings throughout the home.

“We’re very pleased and proud to receive the EXC!TE Award,” stated Paul Kenline, Colorado vNet’s Marketing Manager. “Colorado vNet’s lighting control system has been getting an overwhelming response from both contractors and end users, but it’s an honor to receive this recognition from our industry peers.”

Colorado vNet Press Contact:		Phone	347.497.4965
		Email	pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Expands Service to Dealers and Integrators in the Northeast and Canada with the Addition of Mark Cassidy as Regional Sales Director

Colorado vNet — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 08:08:10 GMT

Loveland, CO - Colorado vNet announced the addition of Mark Cassidy to the position of Regional Sales Director for the Northeast and Canada. In this role Mark will be chartered with working alongside Colorado vNet representatives in managing sales and technical support to dealers and integrators in the Northeast and Canada.

In making the announcement, Mike Malone, Colorado vNet's Vice President of Sales, noted, "Demand for Colorado vNet’s Vibe distributed audio system and lighting control networks is being driven by our representatives in the field, growing our business at a fantastic rate. It makes all the sense in the world to bring on high quality sales professionals like Mark to take our business to the next level”.

Bill Beierwaltes, the CEO of Colorado vNet said, "We couldn’t be more pleased that Mark has chosen to join us and support our business growth in the Northeast. Mark brings a unique blend of industry experience and technical skills that make him an ideal individual to lead our efforts in the Northeast and Canada".

“Mark’s experience with integrators and dealers along with his impressive technical background will be a welcome addition to our selling efforts with Colorado vNet.” said Sandy Duffy, of New Resource, Inc., Colorado vNet’s representative for New England. “vNet’s investment in regional sales and support validates our decision to bring this product line to our market and is a perfect compliment for the work we’ve done to introduce Colorado vNet and grow the business together.”

Colorado vNet Press Contact:		Phone	347.497.4965
		Email	pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Appoints New VP of Sales

Colorado vNet — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 09:08:10 GMT

Loveland, CO - Colorado vNet announced the appointment of Michael L. Malone as Vice President of Sales. In his new position, Malone will oversee the company’s rapidly expanding sales force.

Malone joins Colorado vNet from his position as Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at a leading commercial equipment manufacturer. His prior positions include that of Vice President and General Manager of SupplyFORCE.com, as well as several key management positions with Rockwell Automation, Texas Instruments and Eaton Corporation. Malone’s 25 year career includes a wide range of experience in progressive international sales management, e-commerce, marketing, software start-ups and supply chain management.

“Mike’s joining Colorado vNet is well-timed to correspond to the company’s crossing the threshhold to a new level,” remarked Bill Beierwaltes, Colorado vNet’s CEO. “The widespread attention we’ve been receiving for our new generation of products has produced exponential growth for our sales division. Mike’s background and expertise make him the ideal person to head up this rapid development. We’re excited to have him on board.”

“Colorado vNet is truly on the leading edge of whole-house automation and distributed audio,” Malone observed. “It’s great to be working with such a creative and innovative group of people, and I’m looking forward to our continued growth and success.”

Malone will be based at the company’s headquarters in Loveland, Colorado.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:		Phone	347.497.4965
		Email	pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Teams with AMG

Colorado vNet — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 09:08:10 GMT

Loveland, CO - Colorado vNet has announced that it is partnering with Ann Arbor, MI-based All Media Guide (AMG) and the Allmusic website (www.allmusic.com) to provide metadata for their highly acclaimed Vibe system.

The strategic alliance between AMG and Colorado vNet will provide Vibe owners with the most comprehensive, up-to-date database of metadata on recordings, from popular to rare and obscure, including artist, song, album, genre and related information, as well as cover art and other content. The information will be stored and updated on Colorado vNet’s Vibe Audio Server, and displayed on any connected Vibe Audio Touchscreen.

“AMG is, without a doubt, the industry’s leading technology and content database provider,” remarked Colorado vNet CEO Bill Beierwaltes. “By partnering with AMG, Colorado vNet can offer our Vibe owners the most comprehensive and up-to-date database of metadata available. For a product as revolutionary as Vibe, there’s no better choice of data resource.”

About All Media Guide

All Media Guide, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is the leading authority on music, movies and games. Since 1991, the company has provided comprehensive content and technologies to support the physical and digital distribution of entertainment media. With thousands of musicologists, film historians, and game specialists contributing over the years, AMG has created the industry's cleanest, most in-depth database of information and original editorial content. AMG content and technologies are licensed by leading consumer electronics manufacturers, retailers, and Internet sites. Visit AMG at www.allmusic.com, www.allmovie.com and www.allgame.com

Colorado vNet Press Contact:		Phone	347.497.4965
		Email	pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Makes a Splash at EHX

Colorado vNet — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 09:08:10 GMT

Long Beach, CA - With a record attendance of close to 10,000 visitors, the recent Electronic Home Exposition at the Long Beach Convention Center was the most successful in the show’s history. And a steady flow of enthusiastic attendees visited the Colorado vNet booth to check out the company’s newest offerings.

One of the shows rising stars was Vibe, Colorado vNet’s revolutionary IP-based distributed audio system that delivers multiple programs of reference-quality digital audio throughout the house. On display was the Vibe CA1-70 Color Touchscreen Amplifier, offering fingertip control of integrated audio and lighting, along with 70 Watts of crystal clear digital audio and award-winning graphics. Also featured was the Vibe AS1-800/6 Audio Server, storing up to 1250 CDs in uncompressed .WAV format and delivering up to sixteen independent audio streams, as well as the ID1-1 Dock for iPod, TR1-1B AM/FM Tuner Blade and other Vibe components.

The company also showcased their highly acclaimed lighting control system, impressing visitors with a new level of control and flexibility, and a nearly unlimited range of design possibilities.

“EHX has always been one of the industry’s most exciting shows, and the place to see the newest in leading-edge technologies,” remarked Colorado vNet CEO Bill Beierwaltes. “The response to our new products at the Expo has been nothing short of spectacular.”

Colorado vNet Press Contact:		Phone	347.497.4965
		Email	pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Launches iPod Dock

Colorado vNet — Sat, 23 Dec 2006 09:08:10 GMT

Loveland, CO - Colorado vNet is now shipping the ID1-1 Dock for iPod^®. The highly anticipated ID1-1 Dock for iPod brings full integration of the Apple iPod™ with Colorado vNet’s acclaimed IP-based Vibe digital audio system.

The ID1-1 Dock for iPod is compatible with all versions of Apple’s iPod with a 30-pin I/O connector, allowing instant connection of an iPod with the Vibe system, including stored audio and full control of the unit from any CA1-70 Color Touchscreen Amplifier anywhere on the system.

“There’s been a tremendous buzz of anticipation surrounding the ID1-1 Dock for iPod, and with good reason,” remarked Bill Beierwaltes, Colorado vNet CEO. “With the release of the ID1-1, the Vibe System can now fully integrate with every lifestyle, young and old alike.” The ID1-1 Dock for iPod is also fully supported by the latest vNet Producer and vNet Director software releases.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:		Phone	347.497.4965
		Email	pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Releases RS-232 Gateway

Colorado vNet — Sat, 23 Dec 2006 09:08:10 GMT

Loveland, CO - Colorado vNet has announced the release of the new RG2-1 RS-232 Gateway for their acclaimed Lighting & Control system. The RG2-1 provides full bi-directional support for RS-232 to Controller Area Network (CAN) translation.

With the introduction of the RG2-1, Colorado vNet’s Lighting & Control system can be fully integrated with existing and legacy systems and componentry, including wireless touch panel controls from other manufacturers.

“Ever since the introduction of our Lighting & Control system, we’ve been overwhelmed with requests from designers and end users to integrate it with existing home systems and legacy hardware products,” commented Colorado vNet CEO Bill Beierwaltes. “The RS-232 Gateway will bring the power and convenience of Colorado vNet to an even wider audience.”

Colorado vNet Press Contact:		Phone	347.497.4965
		Email	pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Announces vNet Builder 2.0 Release

Colorado vNet — Sat, 23 Dec 2006 09:08:10 GMT

Loveland, CO - Colorado vNet has announced the release of the new vNet Builder™ 2.0 software for whole house lighting and control systems creation. Designed to provide tools to easily import and scale floor plans while populating them with Colorado vNet Lighting & Control elements, vNet Builder aids in the wiring, programming, testing, troubleshooting, cost and documentation for a full Colorado vNet project.

The free vNet Builder 2.0 update provides for direct import of CAD drawing files (.DWG format), as well as support for the lighting integration of Vibe CA1-70 Color Touchscreen Amplifier. The Version 2.0 update also adds support for the RS-232 Gateway module, providing seamless integration with existing legacy components.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:		Phone	347.497.4965
		Email	pr@coloradovnet.com

Convergence Marketing Appointed Colorado vNet’s Representative for Mid-Atlantic

Colorado vNet — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 09:08:10 GMT

Loveland, CO - Colorado vNet announced the appointment of Convergence Marketing to their growing network of manufacturer's sales representatives. The company's territory will cover the Middle Atlantic region, including Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C., Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey.

Ben Beierwaltes, Colorado vNet's Director of Sales and Marketing, remarked, "Convergence Marketing is one of the most experienced, decorated and highly-regarded manufacturer's reps in the industry. They're truly a perfect fit for Colorado vNet's innovative approach to low voltage control and digital audio, and we're both pleased and excited to be working together."

"We're very proud to join forces with Colorado vNet," added Convergence Marketing President Mark Hulsebos. "Their products are truly some of the most advanced, leading-edge technologies available, and their support is second to none."

Colorado vNet Press Contact:		Phone	347.497.4965
		Email	pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Appoints New Director of Engineering

Colorado vNet — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Loveland, CO, February 2007 - Colorado vNet has announced the appointment Kevin Gross to the position of Engineering Director. In his new position, Gross will oversee the development and implementation of Colorado vNet’s Vibe™ IP-based digital audio system, as well as the company’s popular lighting control technologies.

Gross comes to Colorado vNet from his previous position as Director of Network Technology for Cirrus Logic, where he was responsible for the conception and development of CobraNet technologies for delivery of real-time digital audio via Ethernet. While at Cirrus Logic and earlier at Peak Audio, he was heavily involved in system and network design for projects that included Disney theme parks, the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia and other prominent installations worldwide. Gross is a recent recipient of the AES Fellowship award for his contributions to digital audio networking.

A graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder, Gross has also held positions at WaveFrame and then Peak Audio, where he helped develop Peavey’s MediaMatrix technology and oversaw its deployment in the US Senate chambers.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Kevin on board,” said Bill Beierwaltes, Colorado vNet’s Chief Executive Officer. “As Colorado vNet’s reputation as an innovator and a leader in whole-house digital audio and lighting technologies has grown, the experience and technical expertise Kevin brings to the company is precisely in line with the goals we’ve set for our future product development.”

“Colorado vNet is a perfect fit and a tremendous opportunity for me,” Gross added. “The company’s technologies are truly some of the most innovative and creative out there, and I’m excited by the prospects of what we can accomplish together to raise the bar in home media and automation.”

Gross will be based at the company’s headquarters in Loveland, Colorado.

Colorado vNet manufactures an elite range of intelligent solutions for whole-house control of lighting and distributed digital audio. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet offers the next level in automation, with products that are elegantly crafted, quick to install and easy to use. For additional information about Colorado vNet and our award-winning products, visit www.coloradovnet.com or call 1-800-987-VNET (8638).

Colorado vNet Press Contact:		Phone	347.497.4965
		Email	pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet and Positive Marketing Kick Off Training Sessions in Canada

Colorado vNet — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Loveland, CO, February 2007 - Colorado vNet coordinated with Canadian manufacturers’ representatives Positive Marketing to offer a series of informational and training seminars on the company’s popular audio and lighting technologies.

The seminars, held in Toronto and Calgary, were presented by Colorado vNet’s Regional Sales Director Mark Cassidy and Manager of Pre-Sales Technical Support Rob Pries, who teamed with Positive Marketing’s President and CEO Phil Bond and Technical Training Director Ian Roberts to offer three days of training on Colorado vNet’s Vibe™ IP-based digital audio network, as well as their whole-house lighting control systems. The sessions were attended by representatives of more than fifty companies.

“We’ve been getting a growing number of requests for information and training from systems designers, home builders and other professionals, and these seminars are a great opportunity for people to get their hands on our lighting and audio technologies, get familiar with the capabilities of the systems, and get inspired by the possibilities,” observed Cassidy. “Conversely, it’s a great way for us to establish new relationships and show people how Colorado vNet’s products can add to their creativity, and at the same time make their jobs easier.”

Colorado vNet manufactures an elite range of intelligent solutions for whole-house control of lighting and distributed digital audio. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet offers the next level in automation, with products that are elegantly crafted, quick to install and easy to use. For additional information about Colorado vNet and our award-winning products, visit www.coloradovnet.com or call 1-800-987-VNET (8638).

Colorado vNet Press Contact: Phone 347.497.4965

Email pr@coloradovnet.com

InSync Home Brings Balance to Living and Technology

Colorado vNet — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT
ORLANDO, FL - At this year’s International Builders Show, attendees will have the opportunity to view the latest in innovative whole house lighting and audio with the unveiling of the new InSync Home. The two-story, 6500-square foot house in Orlando’s exclusive Baldwin Park community was designed by architect Bobby Morales of Morales-Keesee Design Associates and features a range of leading-edge technologies, including state-of-the-art integrated lighting and digital audio systems from Loveland, CO-based Colorado vNet.

Builder magazine, which sponsors the annual home builders’ showcase to coincide with IBS, has teamed this year with Home magazine, opening the event to more than four million subscribers in the builder and residential homeowner markets. Unlike the typical open house, the InSync Home will not be open to the general public. Tickets will be available for small tour groups of building trade professionals, and for special sponsor and media events during the convention. Visitors will be bussed to the showcase home for intimate, detailed tours of the house’s many features, given by design and technology experts.

Behind the home’s inspired architecture, an integration of low-voltage technologies offers up a new level of control over lighting and distributed digital audio to every room in the house, employing Colorado vNet’s integrated lighting control and Vibe™ audio systems. The system, designed and installed by Winter Park, Florida-based Wilson Technologies, is the result of comprehensive research into what today’s homeowners really want.

“We put together several focus groups, before the ground was even broken, and asked people from a wide range of backgrounds and demographics what they looked for in residential technology,” reports company president David Wilson. “The common thread throughout was simplicity in design and ease of use. Everyone wants technology to be more in sync with their lifestyles. It’s all about connectivity, about convenience, and about intuitive control. The technology has to serve a purpose and adapt to the user. No one wants to have to re-educate themselves to basic tasks we take for granted.”

As Wilson explains, the goal in designing the InSync Home systems was to create something that would serve to inspire both homeowners and builders to look beyond their own pre-conceived notions of home automation. “Traditionally, many builders have tended to look at home automation technology as an afterthought,” he observes. “As a result, they tend to view the design of lighting and other whole house technologies as separate, rather than integrating it as a part of a holistic design. This was a great opportunity to educate builders about these technologies, how they integrate with both home and lifestyle, and how that integration can be achieved without a great deal of adaptation or re-engineering by the builder. It was a way to come together with the builder and the architect, and say ‘Okay, how can we integrate technology so that it flows with the home instead of fighting with it?’”

Using Colorado vNet’s revolutionary technology, Wilson was able to create lighting and audio systems that are easy to design and intuitive to use. “In the past, many people – builders and homeowners alike – have been intimidated by the complexity of some of these systems,” he observes. “But the vNet system is really well thought out. It’s based on proven technologies – IP and CAN protocols are solid, dependable solutions, so we’re not going out on a limb with something untested. From the design perspective, the system is simple to design and configure. The vNet Builder software streamlines the entire process, from designing and diagramming the system to printing up documentation and bills of materials. For the installer, it’s a breeze. There are only a few basic parts to the whole system, so the design is uncomplicated and there’s no need to stock a million different SKU’s.”

Utilizing a a distributed intelligence system layout, the vNet lighting control brings a unique perspective to creating and configuring a fully modular design that is both flexible and expandable. Custom scenes can include timed, automated sequences, selectable lighting levels and even time-of-day based features, using the system’s real-time internal clock. For the homeowner, it represents not only ease of use, but energy conservation.

“Their (Colorado vNet) lighting solution is very slick,” says Wilson, “because it eliminates the need for a central dimmer unit. We were able to install a few modules in one of the master bedroom closets, a few in the garage and some others upstairs. It keeps the wire runs short, and with copper prices going higher all the time that’s a cost savings as well.”

Another useful feature is the ability to pre-program all parameters of the system configuration using the vNet Builder software. “For us, that means fewer man-hours, fast setup and easy troubleshooting,” Wilson points out. “It keeps the bottom line in check, and gives the client what they want. It also makes any changes, whether during the design phase or months later, that much easier to implement.

“For us as designers, the ability to simulate everything on the computer is huge. It allows us to give the architect a clear, concise demo of what the system will do, how it will function. With every other lighting system we’ve used, you can’t create your scenes until you’re out there, on site. With the vNet system, we can pre-program the whole thing, test it and troubleshoot it, and just send out the program with the installer. It’s a tremendous time-saver.”

The house is also equipped with vNet’s Vibe distributed digital audio system, a modular IP-based approach that includes the Vibe Dock for iPod® and AS1-1250/6 Audio Server, which stores up to 1250 CDs in uncompressed .WAV format and streams up to sixteen independent audio programs to anywhere in the home. The main focus of the Vibe system are the numerous Vibe Color Touchscreen Amplifiers, each of which features a reference-quality, 75 Watt digital stereo amplifier for crystal clear sound, and offers full fingertip control of both audio and lighting, as well as award-winning graphics displays of album art and metadata.

Although any of the 24 Touch Screen Amplifiers can control both the audio and lighting, Wilson opted to create redundant access to lighting using vNet’s custom TP2-1D Touchpads. “We did it just because we could,” he quips. “The modular design makes it really easy to implement another control. And by using both controls, we’re offering the user that many more options.”

“The entire system is really intuitive to use,” Wilson reports. “Everyone who’s come through the house so far just loves it. When I showed the system to the architect for the first time, his first question was, ‘how easy is it to operate?’ I said ‘here’s the touchpad, try it yourself.’ That’s the best way to show people how simple it is – as soon as they get their hands on it, they’re experts. It really showcases itself.”

“This is really a tactile technology,” Wilson concludes. “The hands-on experience is essential. A picture won’t show you how easy it is to use. Once people get their hands on it, the reaction is always, ‘ooh, I’ve got to have this.’ Colorado vNet is really taking it to the next level.”

Also see this article in the March/April copy of Ultimate Home Design magazine

Colorado vNet manufactures an elite range of intelligent solutions for whole-house control of lighting and distributed digital audio. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet offers the next level in automation, with products that are elegantly crafted, quick to install and easy to use. For additional information about Colorado vNet and our award-winning products, visit www.coloradovnet.com or call 1-800-987-VNET (8638).

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Selects CM Buck as Indiana Lighting Representative

Colorado vNet — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Loveland, Colorado, August 1, 2007 – Colorado vNet announced today the selection of CM Buck and Associates of Indianapolis, Indiana as its manufacturer's sales representative serving the lighting control market for the state of Indiana.

"CM Buck is one of the most experienced and successful lighting and control firms in the region,” noted Mike Malone, vice president of sales for Colorado vNet. “Dave Simpson and his staff have long term relationships in the market and a great reputation with installers, designers and engineers that we hope to enhance with our technology and competitively positioned products," continued Malone.

Dave Simpson, principal at CM Buck said, "We are very pleased to be affiliated with Colorado vNet. Their products offer outstanding performance, quality and value, and fill key categories in the home automation, distributed audio and custom installation marketplaces.”

Both companies are planning a series of regional certification and training on the IP-based digital distributed Vibe™ Audio System as well as the Lighting & Control Systems.

About Colorado vNet
Colorado vNet manufactures an elite range of intelligent solutions for whole-house control of lighting and distributed digital audio, climate and security. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet offers the next level in automation, with products that are elegantly crafted, quick to install and easy to use. For additional information about award-winning Colorado vNet products, visit www.coloradovnet.com or call 1-800-987-VNET (8638).

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Retrofit Touchpad Dimmer Wins Electronic House Product of the Year Award

Colorado vNet — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Loveland, Colorado, August 3, 2007 – The Colorado vNet TD1-RF Touchpad Dimmer has earned the distinction as one of the Electronic House Products of the Year for 2007. Selected from hundreds of entries, this soon-to-be-available wireless Touchpad Dimmer, was chosen for technological innovation, overall value and outstanding features.
Controlling a variety of devices, including incandescent and low-voltage lamps, compact and standard fluorescents, and electronic motors, the RF Touchpad Dimmer integrates seamlessly into the Colorado vNet Audio, Lighting and Control system. It is ideal for replacing an existing analog switch as there is no need to pull new wires through walls or replace any existing junction boxes.
Colorado vNet will launch the new RF Touchpad Dimmer the CEDIA Expo, booth 758, in Denver, Colorado from September 6-9, 2007. The winners of this year's EH awards will be featured in the September Issue of Electronic House magazine, which will be distributed to thousands of attendees at the CEDIA Expo, as well on electronichouse.com for the next year.

About Electronic House Magazine
Electronic House, an EH Publishing, Inc. magazine is the leading consumer publication that focuses on all aspects of the electronic home. In authoritative articles, Electronic House covers home theater, multiroom entertainment, home control, wireless communications, energy management, home networking, and high-speed wiring. Electronic House readers want to have the best technology in their homes and Electronic House provides easy-to-read information enabling them to make informed buying decisions. www.electronichouse.com.

Colorado vNet manufactures an elite range of intelligent solutions for whole-house control of lighting and distributed digital audio. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet offers the next level in automation, with products that are elegantly crafted, quick to install and easy to use. For additional information about Colorado vNet and our award-winning products, visit www.coloradovnet.com or call 1-800-987-VNET (8638).

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Recognized as Innovative Technology at Portland Street of Dreams

Colorado vNet — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Loveland, Colorado, August 28, 2007 – Colorado vNet audio and lighting control were recently featured in the Portland Street of Dreams as innovative technology that makes living easier. Both the Colorado vNet Vibe™ Audio System and the Colorado vNet Lighting & Control System were installed in the Salish Moon home by Stream Audio & Video of Portland, Oregon to facilitate the vision for “a truly aesthetic lifestyle,” said Jen Nelson, vice president of sales at Stream.

“We realize that space is a commodity, and the ease of lifestyle is important to custom-home owners. With that in mind, we sought out all new technology that was unique and less predominant in the Portland marketplace,” said Nelson.

Vibe, an IP-based digital distributed audio system delivers unparalleled control and crystal clear sound via state-of-the-art Touchscreen Amplifiers. Homeowners access a wide range of audio sources, including the iPod® docks, satellite radio receivers and nearly all consumer electronic devices—from any Touchscreen in the home—and Vibe utilizes Internet Protocol (IP) to communicate that audio data to multiple locations and devices, simultaneously.

The Colorado vNet Lighting & Control System also features proven distributed processing technology with award-winning Touchpads that are customizable to match the home’s décor. The Touchpads’ unique design offers versatility with multiple button configurations to control personal lighting scenes throughout the home with the simple touch of a button.

Nelson added that not only is the Colorado vNet system the most user-friendly on the market—it’s also the chicest and one of the more moderately priced systems. “Others are double to triple the cost,” she said.

About Colorado vNet
Colorado vNet manufactures an elite range of intelligent solutions for whole-house control of lighting and distributed digital audio, climate and security. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet offers the next level in automation, with products that are elegantly crafted, quick to install and easy to use. For additional information about award-winning Colorado vNet products, visit www.coloradovnet.com or call 1-800-987-VNET (8638).

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Adds New Climate and Security Applications

Colorado vNet — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Loveland, CO – September 5, 2007 – Colorado vNet builds on the success of the Lighting & Control System and Vibe™ Audio System with the announcement at the CEDIA Expo of both the Colorado vNet Climate Application and the Colorado vNet Security Application. Both applications are integrated into the award-winning Colorado vNet Color Touchscreen.

With the Climate Application, the homeowner can control any Aprilaire® thermostat from any Colorado vNet Touchscreen. The Touchscreen acts as a virtual thermostat, controlling indoor temperature and humidity and optionally displaying outdoor temperature.

With the Security Application, the homeowner can control their Honeywell security system from any vNet Touchscreen. The Touchscreen acts as a virtual keypad, including a 12-button keypad, three panic buttons and a macro button.

“We now have lighting, audio, climate and security all seamlessly integrated into a single Touchscreen,” said Bill Beierwaltes, CEO of Colorado vNet. “Homeowners will appreciate the Touchscreen’s beautiful design—it’s like a work of art. Integrators will appreciate its simplicity—it’s very easy to install.”

The Climate and Security Application Modules act as the gateway between the Colorado vNet system and third party systems. With the CL1-40 or SE1-40 Application Module, up to 40 Touchscreens can control any configured thermostat or security keypad respectively. For smaller installations, four additional Climate Application Modules (CL1-5, CL1-10, CL1-20 and CL1-30) and Security Application Modules (SE1-5, SE1-10, SE1-20, and SE1-30) are available.

“Integrators and homeowners want to reduce the amount of wall clutter … get rid of the extra light switches, audio controls, thermostats and keypads,” said Beierwaltes. “And that’s exactly what we’ve done. Lighting, audio, climate and security are all eloquently integrated and easily controlled with the Color Touchscreen. It’s a much cleaner design.”

vNet Producer™, the wizard-based software used to configure the Colorado vNet Vibe Audio System, also is used to configure the Climate and Security Applications.

For more information or to see a demonstration, visit the Colorado vNet booth 758 at the CEDIA Expo in Denver, Colorado from September 6-9, or visit www.coloradovnet.com or call 1-800-987-VNET (8638).

About Colorado vNet
Colorado vNet manufactures an elite range of intelligent solutions for whole-house control of lighting and distributed digital audio, climate and security. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet offers the next level in automation, with products that are elegantly crafted, quick to install and easy to use. For additional information about award-winning Colorado vNet products, visit www.coloradovnet.com or call 1-800-987-VNET (8638).

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Introduces Wireless Lighting & Control System

Colorado vNet — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Loveland, CO – September 5, 2007 – Colorado vNet today unveiled a new Wireless Lighting & Control System ideal for retrofit and new construction projects at the CEDIA Expo in Denver, CO. Designed for ZigBee®, the radio frequency (RF) system uses high-powered radios and mesh networking to provide unprecedented range and reliability without special repeaters. The system modules use standard household wiring, eliminating any need to pull new wires.

“Our new Wireless Lighting & Control System provides everything you’ve come to expect from Colorado vNet – reliability, stylish design, and simple yet powerful programming,” said Bill Beierwaltes, CEO of Colorado vNet.

Elegantly simple and intuitive in its ease of use, the Colorado vNet Touchpad Dimmer represents a union of quality appearance, ergonomic design and superior system architecture. Sensitive to fingertip touches, the Touchpad Dimmer offers unlimited design possibilities to match any décor and complete scene control at every touchpoint. Unlike most retrofit solutions on the market, the Colorado vNet Wireless Lighting & Control System does not require separate dimmers and keypads.

Colorado vNet also introduced today the MultiLink Module, which can be added to seamlessly integrate the Wireless Lighting & Control System with existing wired Colorado vNet Lighting & Control Systems, Vibe™ Audio Systems and Climate and Security Applications.

The wireless system is programmed with vNet Builder™ Software, the only floor-plan based software application in the industry and the same innovative, drag-and-drop design software used for Colorado vNet wired Lighting & Control System. A built-in lighting simulator allows integrators and their clients to see how the system will work before installing a single device.

The Colorado vNet Wireless Lighting & Control System comprises a complete line of RF-based products, including four different Touchpad Dimmers, Wall Plug Dimmer and Wall Plug Switch, Time Clock Module, Input/Output Module and RS-232/IR Module.

For more information or to see a demonstration, visit the Colorado vNet booth 758 at the CEDIA Expo in Denver, Colorado from September 6-9, or visit www.coloradovnet.com or call 1-800-987-VNET (8638).

About Colorado vNet
Colorado vNet manufactures an elite range of intelligent solutions for whole-house control of lighting and distributed digital audio, climate and security. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet offers the next level in automation, with products that are elegantly crafted, quick to install and easy to use. For additional information about award-winning Colorado vNet products, visit www.coloradovnet.com or call 1-800-987-VNET (8638).

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet to Showcase New Wireless Lighting & Control System at Electronic House Expo Fall 2007

Colorado vNet — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Loveland, CO - November 5, 2007 - Colorado vNet will showcase a new Wireless Lighting & Control System ideal for retrofit and new construction projects at EHX Fall 2007 in Long Beach, California. Designed for ZigBee®, the radio frequency (RF) system uses high-powered radios and mesh networking to provide unprecedented range and reliability without special repeaters. The system modules use standard household wiring, eliminating any need to pull new wires.

Elegantly simple and intuitive, the Colorado vNet Touchpad Dimmer combines quality appearance, ergonomic design and superior system architecture. Sensitive to fingertip touches, the Touchpad Dimmer offers unlimited design possibilities to match any décor and complete scene control at every touchpoint. Unlike most retrofit solutions on the market, the Colorado vNet Wireless Lighting & Control System does not require separate dimmers and keypads.

The Colorado vNet Wireless Lighting & Control System comprises a complete line of RF-based products, including four Touchpad Dimmers, Wall Plug Dimmer and Wall Plug Switch, Timer Module, Input/Output Module and RS-232/IR Module. The Colorado vNet MultiLink can be added to seamlessly integrate the Wireless Lighting & Control System with existing wired Colorado vNet Lighting & Control Systems, Vibe™ Audio Systems and Climate and Security Applications.

The wireless system is programmed with vNet Builder™ Software, the only floor-plan based software application in the industry and the same innovative, drag-and-drop design software used for Colorado vNet wired Lighting & Control System. A built-in lighting simulator allows integrators and their clients to see how the system will work before installing a single device.

"The reliability, stylish design, and simple yet powerful programming of our new Wireless Lighting & Control System has everything the industry has come to expect from Colorado vNet," said Bill Beierwaltes, CEO of Colorado vNet.

For more information or to see a demonstration, visit the Colorado vNet booth 1325 at EHX in Long Beach, California from November 7-9, visit www.coloradovnet.com or call 1-800-987-VNET (8638).

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Now Shipping New Climate & Security Control Applications

Colorado vNet — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Company to showcase expansion of home automation solutions line at EHX to include wired and wireless lighting, audio, climate and security control.

Loveland, CO - November 5, 2007 - Colorado vNet builds on the success of the Lighting & Control System and Vibe™ Audio System with the addition of both the Colorado vNet Climate Application and the Colorado vNet Security Application. Both applications are integrated into the award-winning Colorado vNet Color Touchscreen and are now available to ship. With the Climate Application, the homeowner can control any Aprilaire® thermostat from any Colorado vNet Touchscreen. The Touchscreen acts as a virtual thermostat, controlling indoor temperature and humidity and optionally displaying outdoor temperature. With the Security Application, the homeowner can control their Honeywell security system from any vNet Touchscreen. The Touchscreen acts as a virtual keypad, including a 12-button keypad, three panic buttons and a macro button.

"Integrators and homeowners want to reduce the amount of wall clutter - get rid of the extra light switches, audio controls, thermostats and keypads," said Bill Beierwaltes, CEO of Colorado vNet. "And that's exactly what we've done. Lighting, audio, climate and security are elegantly integrated and easily controlled with the Color Touchscreen. It's a much cleaner design."

The Climate and Security Application Modules act as the gateway between the Colorado vNet system and third party systems. With the CL1-40 or SE1-40 Application Module, up to 40 Touchscreens can control any configured thermostat or security keypad respectively. For smaller installations, four additional Climate Application Modules (CL1-5, CL1-10, CL1-20 and CL1-30) and Security Application Modules (SE1-5, SE1-10, SE1-20, and SE1-30) are available.

The Climate and Security Applications are configured with vNet Producer™, the same wizard-based software used to configure the Colorado vNet Vibe Audio System.

For more information or to see a demonstration, visit the Colorado vNet booth 1325 at EHX in Long Beach, California from November 7-9, visit www.coloradovnet.com or call 1-800-987-VNET (8638).

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Lighting & Control Touchpad Wins EHX Fall 2007 Multi-Room Award for Best User Interface

Colorado vNet — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Loveland, Colorado - November 8, 2007 - The Colorado vNet Touchpad has been recognized at EHX Fall 2007 with the Multi-Room Award for Best Lighting User Interface. Judged by a panel of system dealers, installers, journalists, and association executives, the award was based on true innovation and overall value.

The Colorado vNet Touchpad is designed to fit into a single junction box and any standard Decora® faceplates, and features a backlight that adjusts automatically to ambient light levels. The Touchpad also allows for customized backgrounds and labels and offers a series of LEDs and discreet clicks that cleverly illustrate current button usage. Buttons are configurable in a wide variety of templates, allowing for the maximum in flexibility and user customization. Each button can control any number of actions, and can even be programmed to react in different ways to short taps or longer pressure. For example, a lights on/off button, can also slew dimmers up and down, reducing the demand for extra buttons.

"We are very pleased to have our Touchpad recognized as best in class for lighting and control interfaces," said Ben Beierwaltes, Marketing Director for Colorado vNet. "In all we manufacture, we strive to provide products with emotional impact -modern, sleek, satisfying to the touch, and best of all, easy to use."

About Colorado vNet
Colorado vNet manufactures an elite range of intelligent solutions for whole-house control of wired and wireless lighting, climate, security, and distributed digital audio. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet offers products that are elegantly crafted, quick to install and easy to use. For additional information about Colorado vNet products, visit www.coloradovnet.com or call 1-800-987-VNET (8638).

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Wireless Lighting System Wins EHX Multi-Room Award for Best Retrofit Control System

Colorado vNet — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Loveland - Colorado - November 8, 2007 - Judged by a panel of system dealers, installers, journalists, and association executives, the Colorado vNet Wireless Lighting & Control System has been recognized at EHX Fall 2007 with the Multi-Room Award for Best Retrofit Lighting Control System.

Designed for retrofit or new construction, the Colorado vNet Wireless Lighting & Control System uses standard household wiring and replaces existing switches and dimmers with state-of-the-art radio-controlled dimming touchpads that work with or without a neutral wire. Designed for ZigBee®, the wireless system uses mesh networking to provide unprecedented range and reliability without separate repeaters or keypads. Spread spectrum technology and encrypted data transmissions make for a highly secure, scalable system that easily controls a variety of devices, including incandescent and low-voltage lamps, compact and standard fluorescents, and electronic motors.

The Colorado vNet Wireless Lighting & Control System comprises a complete line of RF-based products, including four Touchpad Dimmers, Wall Plug Dimmer and Wall Plug Switch, Input/Output Module and RS-232/IR Module. The Colorado vNet MultiLink Module can be added to seamlessly integrate the Wireless Lighting & Control System with existing wired Colorado vNet Lighting & Control Systems, Vibe™ Audio Systems and Climate and Security Applications.

The wireless system is programmed with vNet Builder™ Software, the only floor-plan based software application in the industry and the same innovative, drag-and-drop design software used for Colorado vNet wired Lighting & Control System. A built-in lighting simulator allows integrators and their clients to see how the system will work before installing a single device.

Ben Beierwaltes, Marketing Director for Colorado vNet said, "We're very excited to offer a retrofit solution with the same level of reliability, flexibility, and ease of programming as our popular wired system. Receiving the EHX Multi-Room Award is an honor."

About Colorado vNet
Colorado vNet manufactures an elite range of intelligent solutions for whole-house control of wired and wireless lighting, climate, security, and distributed digital audio. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet offers products that are elegantly crafted, quick to install and easy to use. For additional information about Colorado vNet products, visit www.coloradovnet.com or call 1-800-987-VNET (8638).

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

CEA Recognizes Colorado vNet Touchpad & Touchscreen Amplifier as Finalists for 2008 Mark of Excellence Awards

Colorado vNet — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Loveland, Colorado, February 6, 2007 – Two Colorado vNet products have been recognized by the Consumer Electronic Association (CEA) as finalists for the 2008 TechHome Mark of Excellence Awards. The Touchpad with Built-in IR Sensor is a finalist in the Supplier - Best Lighting Control Product category and the Vibe™ Color Touchscreen Amplifier is a finalist in the Supplier - Best Control System category. Colorado vNet will demonstrate these and more award-winning home automation solutions in booth 612 of the Electronic House Expo, March 13-15th, in Orlando, Florida at the Orange County Convention Center.

Touchpad with Built-in IR Sensor
As the control interface for the Colorado vNet Lighting & Control System, the Touchpad with Built-in IR Sensor (TP2-1D) offers easy programming and installation, customization to match home décor, and multiple button configurations—all with a single SKU. Distributed processing technology within each Touchpad replaces central processors and provides highly reliable, scalable systems. Standard CAT-5e cable connects and powers the Touchpads and other components of the system, making installation and integration fast and easy.

The Touchpad is designed to fit within standard Decora(r) faceplates and allows for easily customizable backgrounds and labels. Configurable buttons can control any number of actions and devices (such as lights, fans, theater screens, drapes, etc.) and can even be programmed to react in different ways to short taps or longer pressure. For example, a lights on/off button can also slew dimmers up and down, reducing the demand for extra buttons. Since the labels can be changed in minutes, they can be updated easily if homeowners want to change button usage or decor. A series of LEDs and discreet clicks cleverly illustrate current button usage. An ambient light sensor adjusts the backlight and LED intensities to match room light levels.

Vibe™ Color Touchscreen Amplifier
Originally released as the central access point for our IP-based Vibe™ Audio System, the Vibe Color Touchscreen Amplifier (CA1-70) is a powerful interface whose flush-mounted 7-inch widescreen display offers full access and control of a wide range of audio sources. The Touchscreen displays full metadata information including album cover art, and its built-in digital amplifier delivers 70 Watts of power, eliminating the need for external amplifiers. Significantly enhanced in October of 2007, this same beautiful Touchscreen also offers intuitive, pre-integrated control over a broad array of home systems including lighting, climate, security, and more. Switches, thermostats, dials, keypads, etc. are integrated into the Touchscreen display to control audio, security systems, temperature, lights, shades, fountains, home theater screens, and more—throughout the entire house. The Touchscreen appeals to those who desire a whole-house control solution with simplicity, intuitiveness, and striking design.

Using IP, the Touchscreen and other system components link together via network routers and standard CAT-5e cables—making it fast and simple to install. Programming is just as simple. With the intuitive vNet(tm) software, installers simply name the devices controlled by the Touchscreen and the wizard walks through setup and commissioning. No drivers or interface programming are required—it’s all pre-integrated.

About Mark of Excellence Awards Program
The Mark of Excellence Awards program, presented by CEA's TechHome Division, recognizes the best in custom home electronics products, services, and installed technology. Each year, manufacturers, distributors, and systems integrators enter to compete in award categories for this coveted honor judged by independent experts within the industry.

Each TechHome Mark of Excellence Awards category has a four-member judging team comprised of systems integrators, manufacturers, members of the trade press or industry consultants. Each entry is given a numeric score. The top scoring entries in each category will be named TechHome Mark of Excellence Awards finalists. The entry with the highest score in each category will be named a TechHome Mark of Excellence Awards winner. The Mark of Excellence Awards program culminates with the announcement of the winners at the Mark of Excellence Awards Dinner, held during the EHX (Electronic House Expo) Spring event in Orlando, Florida.

About Colorado vNet
Colorado vNet manufactures an elite range of intelligent solutions for whole-house control of lighting, climate, security, and distributed digital audio. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet offers products are elegantly crafted, quick to install and easy to use. For additional information about award-winning Colorado vNet products, visit www.coloradovnet.com or call 1-800-987-VNET (8638).

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Featured at Tradewinds Show Home During International Builder Show

Colorado vNet — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Loveland, CO – February 11, 2008 – Colorado vNet will be showcased this week at Tradewinds, the high-performance premier show home during the 2008 International Builders’ Show in Orlando, Florida. Built by Charles Clayton Construction, the 7,316-square foot, two-level Tradewinds house features both the Colorado vNet Lighting & Control System and the Vibe™Audio System, which were installed by custom integrator, Wilson Technologies. Multiple Touchscreens control lighting, shades and digital audio throughout the home while customizable Touchpads control lights, lighting scenes, shades, etc.

The home will be open for free guided tours beginning February 13th for IBS attendees and media, with free, round-trip shuttle service from the convention center. Colorado vNet representatives will be on hand at the home throughout the event, February 13-16, 2008, to answer your questions.

About Colorado vNet
Colorado vNet manufactures an elite range of intelligent solutions for whole-house control of lighting, climate, security, and distributed digital audio. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet products are elegantly crafted, quick to install and easy to use. For additional information about award-winning Colorado vNet products, visit www.coloradovnet.com or call 1-800-987-VNET (8638).

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Announces SIRIUS/AM/FM Tuner Module and New Audio Server for Vibe™ Audio System

Colorado vNet — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Loveland, CO – March 1, 2008 – Award-winning home automation and distributed digital audio system manufacturer, Colorado vNet, announced today the addition of the SIRUIS/AM/FM Tuner Module and a new Audio Server for the Vibe™ Audio System. As the name implies, the SIRUIS/AM/FM Tuner Module provides seamless integration of terrestrial and satellite radio into the Vibe Audio System, with a single CAT5E providing control, audio, and tuner power. The new Vibe Audio Server is quieter and faster than its predecessor and with two models to choose from, can store up to 1,200 uncompressed CDs and deliver up to six unique, simultaneous audio streams.

By combining the SIRUIS/AM/FM Tuner Module with a compatible SiriusConnect™ Home Tuner, Colorado vNet customers can add over 130 channels of SIRIUS® satellite radio to their Vibe Audio System. Connecting to Vibe via CAT5E, the modular design of the tuner eliminates the need for extra rack space normally reserved for large receivers, and allows integrators to locate it in convenient areas for best reception or antenna access. Two models are available—TM1-1S or TM1-2S—to support either single or dual SIRIUS satellite radios. A DIN connector provides plug-and-play connectivity with the SIRIUS tuner, enabling audio, control, and power over a single CAT5E cable—or dual cables in the case of the dual Tuner Module. A 12Volt DC adaptor is also available for power. The SIRIUS® satellite radio is easily navigated on any Vibe Color Touchscreen with dynamic metadata, channel and category tuning, 18 programmable presets, direct tuning, and channel/category browsing.

The single (TM1-1S) or dual (TM1-2S) AM/FM tuner also provides a quick and easy way to incorporate terrestrial radio into the Vibe system. Customers use the Vibe Touchscreen to access 24 programmable presets with customizable names, quick tuning, and RBDS or RDS FM metadata where available. “Radio is an essential part to any home entertainment system and with the popularity of satellite radio, we’re pleased to add this option to our already-extraordinary Vibe system,” commented Ben Beierwaltes, Colorado vNet Marketing Director.

Also announced today was the new Vibe Audio Server in two models. The Audio Server stores and organizes hundreds of CDs in their original, uncompressed digital format for instant retrieval. Using the Vibe Color Touchscreen Amplifier, customers access full AMG metadata to browse by artist, album, song title, genre or custom playlist, and stream full range, lossless CD-quality digital audio over IP to anywhere in the house.

The AS2-800/3 Audio Server can store up to 800 CDs on its 500GB of hard drive space and deliver three unique, simultaneous audio streams onto a Vibe system, whereas the AS2-1200/6 Audio Server stores up to 1,200 uncompressed CDs on 750GB of memory and broadcasts up to six independently-controlled streams of audio with full metadata.

About Colorado vNet
An emerging leader in the custom home automation market, Colorado vNet manufactures award-winning solutions for distributed digital audio and whole-house control over a wide array of home systems including wired/wireless lighting, climate, and security. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with contemporary design, Colorado vNet products are quick to install, easy to use, and designed to complement any décor. For more information, visit www.coloradovnet.com or call 1-800-987-vNET (8638).

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Appoints New Chief Operating Officer and VP of Engineering

Colorado vNet — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Loveland, CO – March 31, 2008 – Colorado vNet announced today the appointment of Ron Phillips as its new Chief Operating Officer and VP of Engineering. In these roles, Phillips will oversee several key operational systems in the design and delivery of the award-winning Colorado vNet home automation products including engineering, testing and manufacturing.

Phillips brings 25 years experience managing technical and manufacturing teams for hardware/firmware projects including large scale factory automation systems, extensive software architecture and implementation experience, and most recently served as Vice President of Engineering for Cognitive Solutions, Inc. He has earned undergraduate and masters degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder and Clemson University respectively, and three outstanding technical achievement awards.

“We’re pleased to have Ron join our management team,” said Bill Beierwaltes, Chief Executive Officer of Colorado vNet. “His management experience, technical expertise, and outstanding leadership qualities accurately align with our future product development goals for home media and automation.”

“I am fortunate to be part of the Colorado vNet organization,” Phillips added. “With such an exemplary group of technologists, I am confident in the ability to deliver the quality products Colorado vNet is known for, in a timely manner.”
Phillips will be based at the company’s headquarters in Loveland, Colorado.

About Colorado vNet
An emerging leader in the custom home automation market, Colorado vNet manufactures award-winning solutions for distributed digital audio and whole-house control over a wide array of home systems including wired/wireless lighting, climate, and security. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with contemporary design, Colorado vNet products are quick to install, easy to use, and designed to complement any décor. For more information, visit www.coloradovnet.com or call 1-800-987-vNET (8638).

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Expands Integrated Home Automation System with CCTV Integration

Colorado vNet — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Loveland, CO – June 25, 2008 – Colorado vNet has expanded its integrated home automation system with the availability of the Colorado vNet CCTV Application. With the CCTV Application, users can view video images from up to 20 local and/or remote network cameras on the same award-winning Vibe™ Color Touchscreen used for controlling audio, lighting, climate and security systems, and more.

The CCTV Application supports Panasonic and Axis network (IP) cameras, as well as analog cameras via Panasonic and Axis single camera video servers. If the chosen camera supports pan/tilt/zoom, the available controls will automatically be shown as an overlay of the video image. In addition, cameras may also support pan/tilt touch centering, where touching the video image display centers the camera on the point touched.

“With the CCTV Application, homeowners experience a convenient way to watch over their main house, guest house, or even a vacation home, and they can do so from any room,” said Mike Malone, Vice President of Sales for Colorado vNet. Bill Beierwaltes, Colorado vNet CEO, added “We continue to offer practical home automation solutions that provide value without adding technology clutter. Integrators experience a simple installation with our pre-integrated modules—all the work is already done.”

The CCTV Application Module acts as the gateway between the Colorado vNet system and the CCTV camera system. With the CC1-40 Application Module, up to 40 touchscreens can display camera views. For smaller installations, four additional CCTV Application Modules (CC1-5, CC1-10, CC1-20 and CC1-30) are available. Wizard-based vNet Producer™ software is used to configure not only the Colorado vNet CCTV Application, but also Vibe Audio System and Climate and Security Applications.

About Colorado vNet
Colorado vNet manufactures a wide range of whole-house control solutions for lighting, climate, security, CCTV cameras, and distributed digital audio. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet products are quick to install, easy to use, and complement any décor.

Relevant Links
Colorado vNet CCTV Application Overview and Diagram

Colorado vNet CCTV Touchscreen Control

Colorado vNet CCTV Product Specs

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Vibe Touchscreen Wins Innovative Housing Technology Award for Integrated Home Control

Colorado vNet — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Loveland, CO – June 26, 2008 – The Colorado vNet Vibe™ Color Touchscreen Amplifier has received an Innovative Housing Technology Award (IHTA) from TecHome Builder magazine for Integrated Home Control. The IHTAs recognize significant advances and best practices by product manufacturers, integrators and builders in home technologies and IT solutions for the housing industry.

Originally released as the central access point for the IP-based Vibe™ Audio System, the Vibe Color Touchscreen Amplifier is a powerful interface whose 7-inch widescreen display offers full access and control of a wide range of audio sources including the Vibe Audio Server, iPod® docks, AM/FM tuners, SIRIUS® satellite radio, and nearly all consumer electronic devices. With the capability to stream multiple independent programs to different rooms simultaneously, the Vibe Touchscreen displays full metadata information including album cover art. Its built-in digital amplifier delivers 70 Watts of power, eliminating the need for external amplifiers, but there is also a selectable Fixed/Variable Line Out jack to add an external amplifier or powered subwoofer to the system. The Vibe Touchscreen can be flush-mounted on a wall or used in a deskstand, and comes with multiple background templates and black or paintable white bezels to match room décor.

Significant enhancements in October of 2007 and May of 2008 offer intuitive, pre-integrated control over a broad array of home systems using the same stylish Vibe Touchscreen. Light switches, thermostats, dials, keypads, etc. are integrated into the touchscreen display to access CCTV cameras and control audio, climate and security systems, lights, shades, fountains, home theater screens, and more—throughout the entire house.

Using IP, the Vibe Touchscreen and other system components link together via network routers and standard CAT5e cables—making it simple, fast and less expensive to install. Programming is just as simple. With the intuitive vNet Producer™ software, installers simply name the devices controlled by the touchscreen and the wizard walks through setup and commissioning. No drivers or interface programming are required—it’s all pre-integrated.

The Vibe Touchscreen appeals to homeowners who desire a whole-house control solution with simplicity, intuitiveness, and striking design. It eliminates the wall clutter, providing convenient control from every touchscreen, and easily blends into any décor or architecture with multiple background templates and black or paintable white bezels. Builders gain a competitive edge by including the convenience of quality, practical home automation technology in a clean, stylish look that homeowners will appreciate. Plus, the fully scalable system architecture allows builders to buy what’s needed now and expand the system as necessary.

About Colorado vNet
Colorado vNet manufactures a wide range of whole-house control solutions for lighting, climate, security, CCTV cameras, and distributed digital audio. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet products are quick to install, easy to use, and complement any décor. For more information, please visit www.coloradovnet.com or 1-800-987-VNET.

Relevant Links
Vibe Touchscreen Product Specs
CE Pro Article

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Expands to Larger Facility to Accommodate Growth and Consolidate Operations

Colorado vNet — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT
The newly renovated 42,000 square foot facility features several green amenities including the company’s own lighting and climate control systems.

Loveland, CO – August 25, 2008 – Having outgrown its two current locations, Colorado vNet has moved headquarters and combined all operations into a newly renovated 42,000 square foot facility, with the option to lease an additional 50,000 square feet to accommodate future growth. The new space provides advanced labs for development, test, and quality assurance; a larger, more sophisticated training facility; and a larger demo room to accommodate the expanding product line.

“Our new state-of-the-art facility supports our growth strategy as a home automation and digital entertainment technology innovator,” said Bill Beierwaltes, Colorado vNet CEO. “It provides us greater flexibility to design and manufacturer quality products that match industry demands.”

Colorado vNet will use their own Lighting & Control System and Climate Application not only to limit energy consumption, but also to demonstrate usability and scalability in a commercial setting. Several green features were also included in the renovation efforts including:
Colorado vNet Lighting & Control System conserves energy by dimming all lights and utilizing occupancy detectors in less used rooms
Colorado vNet Climate Application saves energy with setback functionality programmed on Vibe™ Touchscreens all seven days of the week
250-foot floor to ceiling glass wall along the West side allows for more natural light and less energy usage
Daylight-harvesting system adjusts indoor lighting based on the available natural light to conserve energy
24x24-inch modular mix and match program, utilizes first quality short lot carpets from other jobs that would otherwise end up in a landfill. A significant portion of the carpet tile product is made from 35 percent post-industrial recycled content.
Reverse osmosis drinking water is available throughout the building to provide filtered water and eliminate plastic water bottle waste
About Colorado vNet
Colorado vNet develops, manufactures, and markets a wide range of whole-house control solutions for lighting, climate, security, CCTV cameras, distributed digital audio, and much more. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet products are quick to install, easy to use, and complement any décor.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Welcomes the Party to Vibe™ Audio System

Colorado vNet — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Loveland, CO – September 11, 2008 – Colorado vNet has enhanced their digital distributed Vibe™ Audio System to make it easier to control multiple rooms simultaneously. The new capabilities include dynamic party mode presets, remote zone control and do-not-disturb functionality. The Vibe Color Touchscreen Amplifier, recognized in the industry for state-of-the-art design, intuitive interface, and outstanding integrated home control—including audio, lighting, climate, security, CCTV cameras, etc.—is easier to use and delivers more features than standard analog systems, providing homeowners and integrators better value.

According to Ben Beierwaltes, director of marketing at Colorado vNet, “Graphical touchscreens provide a more intuitive and easy to use environment than the keypads used in traditional distributed audio systems. The increased real estate and the use of color allow for more flexible control options.”

Key features include:
Party Mode with Four Presets: Effortlessly link rooms together to listen to the same music. Pressing a preset button will tune the rooms stored in the preset to the current audio source, and even set their volume to the remembered level. Homeowners can quickly reprogram the presets at any time by setting up the room configuration and volumes they choose, and pressing and holding the preset button as on a car radio. They can even name the presets using the on-screen keypad.
Power Down: When the party ends, quickly power off a group of touchscreens or the whole house, with a simple button press on any touchscreen.
Flexible Party Mode Operation: Add/remove any room at any time.
Remote Zone Control: Control any zone from any Vibe Color Touchscreen, e.g., turn down the volume in a teenager’s room.
Do Not Disturb: Lock the source or room to avoid unwanted changes, or lock an entire group or house to avoid guests changing the music during a party or open house.
As a no-cost upgrade, the new Vibe features will become standard in all Vibe Audio Systems, and available as a free firmware upgrade for installed systems.

About Colorado vNet
Colorado vNet manufactures a wide range of whole-house control solutions for lighting, climate, security, CCTV cameras, and distributed digital audio. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet products are quick to install, easy to use, and complement any décor. For more information, please visit www.coloradovnet.com or 1-800-987-VNET.

Relevant Links
Vibe Audio System
Vibe Color Touchscreen Control
Colorado vNet Vibe Touchscreen Wins Innovative Housing Technology Award for Integrated Home Control

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Targets MDU Market with New Vibe™ Audio Server

Colorado vNet — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Small size and entry-level price point make new Audio Server ideal for multi-dwelling units or similar space- and budget-constrained projects.

Loveland, CO – October 20, 2008 – Colorado vNet, an award-winning home automation and multi-room digital audio system manufacturer, announced today the addition of a new member of their Vibe™ Audio System. Designed for limited-space and budget-constrained applications, the AS2-400/3 Audio Server is ideal for multi-dwelling units and provides a lower cost, entry-level option for all homeowners. It stores up to 400 uncompressed CDs on a 250GB hard drive and delivers up to three independent audio streams simultaneously on a Vibe system. The new Audio Server offers the unique ability to be mounted vertically on a wall, for example in an equipment closet. Audio files are loaded from a networked PC with vNet Director, the Colorado vNet PC-based software that allows users to easily upload and manage their music and playlists on the server.

“MDU developers and builders have asked for technology packages that will entice new buyers,” said Kasey Kumaran of Absolute Custom, a Colorado vNet integrator in Reston, VA. “This new Audio Server gives us a competitive edge in the MDU market—we can now easily meet builder requests with a lower-cost multi-room audio system without sacrificing the style and functionality Vibe offers.”

The AS2-400/3 is the third Vibe Audio Server available from Colorado vNet to store and organize hundreds of CDs in their original, uncompressed digital format for instant retrieval using the Vibe Touchscreen. The AS2-800/3 Audio Server stores up to 800 CDs on its 500 GB hard drive and delivers three unique, simultaneous audio streams onto a Vibe system, whereas the AS2-1200/6 Audio Server stores up to 1,200 uncompressed CDs on 750 GB of memory and broadcasts up to six independently-controlled streams of audio with full metadata.

Using the Vibe Color Touchscreen Amplifier, customers access their music from any Vibe Server, browsing by artist, album, song title, genre or custom playlist, and streaming full range, lossless CD-quality digital audio over IP to anywhere in the house. The same Touchscreens used for multi-zone audio also support integration to lighting, security, climate, CCTV cameras, and more.

About Colorado vNet
Colorado vNet manufactures a wide range of whole-house control solutions for lighting, climate, security, CCTV cameras, and distributed digital audio. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet products are quick to install, easy to use, and complement any décor. For more information, please visit www.coloradovnet.com or call 1-800-987-VNET.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Vibe™ Touchscreen Selected as 2009 CES Innovations Honoree

Colorado vNet — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Loveland, CO – November 13, 2008 – The Colorado vNet Vibe Touchscreen Amplifier has been selected as a 2009 CES Innovations Design and Engineering Award Honoree. Judged by a panel of independent industrial designers, engineers and members of the trade press, the Vibe Touchscreen was recognized as one of the most innovative consumer electronics (CE) products in the Integrated Home Systems category for its simplicity, intuitiveness, and striking design.

Originally released as the central access point for the Colorado vNet IP-based Vibe™ Audio System, the Vibe Color Touchscreen Amplifier is a powerful interface whose 7-inch widescreen display offers full access and control of a wide range of audio sources including the Vibe Audio Server, iPod® docks, AM/FM tuners, SIRIUS® satellite radio, and nearly all consumer electronic devices. With the capability to stream multiple independent programs to different rooms simultaneously, the Vibe Touchscreen displays full metadata information including album cover art. Its built-in digital amplifier delivers 70 Watts of power, eliminating the need for external amplifiers, however there is a selectable Fixed/Variable Line Out jack to add an external amplifier or powered subwoofer to the system if desired. The Vibe Touchscreen can be flush-mounted on a wall or used in a deskstand, and comes with multiple background templates and black or paintable white bezels to match room décor.

Significant enhancements in October of 2007 and May of 2008 provide intuitive, pre-integrated control over a broad array of home systems using the same stylish Vibe Touchscreen. Switches, thermostats, dials, keypads, etc. are integrated into the touchscreen display to monitor CCTV cameras and control audio, climate and security systems, lights, shades, fountains, home theater screens, and more—throughout the entire house. The Vibe Touchscreen appeals to those who desire a whole-house control solution with simplicity, intuitiveness, and striking design. It eliminates wall clutter, providing homeowners with convenient control from every touchscreen.

About the CES Innovations Program
The Innovations Design and Engineering Awards program recognizes the most innovative consumer electronics (CE) products in the industry's hottest product categories. Innovations has become a hallmark for the best designed products in consumer technology. The honorees are announced online in the fall and are also featured during the International CES show in Las Vegas in January.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Launches the Vibe™ Video System for Affordable, Convenient Whole-house Media Management

Colorado vNet — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Instant access to movies, music and photos from any TV in a home is a logical addition for home automation and distributed audio system projects.

Loveland, CO – December 1, 2008 – Colorado vNet has launched the Vibe™ Video System as the newest addition to the manufacturer’s award-winning home automation and distributed entertainment systems. The Vibe™ Video System safely stores a homeowner’s movies, music and photo collections on a server for instant access from any TV in the home, via a simple, intuitive interface. Sold exclusively through Colorado vNet custom integrators, the system offers two models of Server/Player (VS1-100S and VS1-200S), a networked Player (VP1-1S), and three models of Network Servers (VN1-150, VN1-300, and VN1-600) to accommodate a variety of distributed installations and ever-expanding video libraries. Both the Server/Player and Player will play Blu-ray Disc™ media and support high definition televisions or AV receivers with HDMI and component video (720p, 1080i, 1080p), and all major surround sound formats including Dolby® TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio. Advanced up-scaling technology delivers incredible DVD playback with up to 1080p resolution. A pre-paid lifetime subscription to the Macrovision® All Media Guide (AMG) recognition service provides accurate and beautiful DVD/CD metadata and cover art. The system is set to ship mid-December.

Bill Beierwaltes, CEO of Colorado vNet, said “I’m thrilled with our new Vibe Video System and initial reaction from our dealers is overwhelmingly positive. We’ve provided a variety of features they’ve asked for—it upscales beautifully to 1080p, supports up to 7.1 and Dolby surround sound, and even plays Blu-rays—all at a surprisingly affordable price.”

System Details
The VS1-100S and VS1-200S Vibe Server/Players archive approximately 100 and 200 DVDs respectively with 1 or 2TB capacity in a RAID 1 configuration, and play up to three unique streams simultaneously. The storage capacity of a Server/Player can be extended by adding one of three Network Servers that vary in size to accommodate expanding video libraries. The VN1-150, VN1-300, and VN1-600 Vibe Network Servers archive up to 600 DVDs for networked playback of up to ten unique simultaneous streams. The Network Servers offer 1, 2 or 4TB of storage with ultra-efficient RAID 5 redundancy, 24/7 monitoring, and status notifications via email. A Vibe Video Player, the VP1-1S, can be added to a system at any time for networked playback of archived Server/Player or Network Server media from any TV. Both Server/Players and Players play Blu-ray Disc™ media from the integrated disc tray. A home network is required for networking functionality and an Internet connection is required to obtain DVD/CD metadata and cover art.

Installation is easy for both new and existing homes. Simply plug in the appropriate audio/video cables and power. Networked system components link together via home network routers and standard CAT5e cables, making them fast and simple to install as well. An extensive IR and serial command library provides integration with external control equipment.

Simple, Intuitive Interface
Known for their elegant user interfaces, Colorado vNet once again provides a GUI that allows adults and children alike to easily navigate the system. The simple on-screen interface allows users to browse archived DVDs and CDs by cover art or title, or search by genre, run time, actor, director, artist, or rating. Once homeowners find the desired movie, they can play it immediately or resume from where it was last stopped. Parental controls—overridden with a passcode—prevent the kids from viewing inappropriate content by only showing movies at or below a particular MPAA rating. Users can also play music once through, in repeat mode, or shuffle it up, and view photos one at a time in rich, high-definition color or in slideshow mode —with a music accompaniment if desired.

Competitive Price Point
The Vibe Video System is set to ship mid-December at the following manufacturer suggested retail prices:

Vibe Video System Product SKU MSRP

Server/Players VS1-100S
VS1-200S $3,999
$4,999

Player VP1-1S $2,199

Network Servers VN1-150
VN1-300
VN1-600 $4,999
$5,999
$7,999

Vibe Video’s competitive price points make the system easier for integrators to sell than other exorbitantly-priced systems on the market. Mike Malone, VP of Sales for Colorado vNet, commented, “Vibe Video provides our integrators a foot in the door with a simple solution homeowners can easily understand and recognize the benefits to their lifestyle. Plus it makes a logical addition to existing Colorado vNet home automation and digital audio projects—it increases margins on a per project basis and simplifies order management by working with just one manufacturer.”

About Colorado vNet
Colorado vNet manufactures a wide range of whole-house control solutions for lighting, climate, security, CCTV cameras, and distributed digital entertainment. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet products are quick to install, easy to use, and complement any décor. For more information, please visit www.coloradovnet.com or call 1-800-987-VNET.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Provides Worldwide Weather Information on their Vibe™ Touchscreen

Colorado vNet — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Users view weather information using the same Vibe™ Touchscreen that controls the company’s award-winning home automation and distributed audio systems.

Loveland, CO – December 17, 2008 – Colorado vNet has integrated worldwide weather information into their award-winning home automation and distributed audio systems. With the Colorado vNet Weather Application, homeowners quickly view current weather conditions and hourly or 5-day forecasts on the same award-winning Vibe™ Color Touchscreen used for controlling whole-house audio, lighting, climate, CCTV and security systems. Users choose from a list of previously viewed cities and easily add new locations by entering a zip code or browsing by country/state/city. In addition, homeowners have the flexibility to make any location the default or rename locations—for example, "Aspen Ski Lodge." A Weather Application Module and an Internet connection are the only requirements for adding weather to an existing Vibe system.

With several modules to choose from, integrators have the scalability needed for a variety of installations. The WX1-40 Application Module allows up to 40 touchscreens to display weather information. For smaller installations, four additional Weather Application Modules (WX1-5, WX1-10, WX1-20 and WX1-30) are available.

The wizard-based vNet Producer™ software used to configure Vibe Audio, Climate, CCTV and Security Applications is also used for the Weather Application. All modules are pre-integrated to work with the HAMweather service, so integrators simply indicate which Touchscreens will have access to weather information.

“Our homeowners can now access weather information from any room of their home. They don’t have to go to the laptop in the den—they can pull it up instantly from their bedroom Touchscreen,“ commented Scott Stephenson, Colorado vNet Product Manager.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Appoints Scott Stephenson as Director of Marketing & Product Management

Colorado vNet — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Loveland, CO – December 19, 2008 – Colorado vNet announced today the appointment of Scott Stephenson as its new Director of Marketing and Product Management. Having been a Product Manager for the company for over two years, Stephenson has worked to launch the Colorado vNet Wireless Lighting & Control System, integrated home system applications such as the CCTV and Weather Applications, and the new Vibe™ Video System, among other key projects. In his new role, he will manage product management, marketing communications, and integrator training.

Stephenson brings over 19 years experience in hardware and software product management and business-to-business marketing. Prior to joining Colorado vNet, Stephenson served as Director of Sales and Marketing for Timbre Software, Inc., a provider of portable software for builders and contractors and as Director of Marketing for ETC, a telecommunications equipment manufacturer. Stephenson holds an MBA from The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and graduated from Duke University with a BS in Engineering.

“Having long respected Scott’s product management abilities, I’m confident he will perform exceptionally in this expanded role,” said Chief Executive Officer, Bill Beierwaltes. “He brings significant experience and valuable insight to two key functions of our business—developing innovative home automation and digital entertainment solutions based on market needs, and then disseminating that message to the industry.”

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Reports Record-Breaking December with 132% Growth

Colorado vNet — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Sales attributable to unique Colorado vNet business model–allows integrators to be more competitive.

Loveland, CO – January 16, 2009– Colorado vNet has announced December 2008 as the best sales month in the company’s history, reporting 132% growth over December 2007, and the total year increasing 111% over 2007. The increase is largely a result of custom integrators recognizing the value of the Colorado vNet business model. With pre-integrated systems that are fast and easy to install, Colorado vNet dealers can be more competitive in today’s challenging economic times—offering complete, reliable home automation and digital entertainment solutions from a single manufacturer, without staffing or outsourcing to expensive custom programmers.

“With vNet we’re able to offer integrated home control and audio/video solutions from just one vendor—and at a price that’s much more appealing to our clients right now,” said Rafael Rodriguez, Integration Manager of PrismOne in Orlando, Florida. Rodriguez added, “Everything they do is easy to sell, install and doesn’t require a lot of programming or training clients on our part.”

In the last year, Colorado vNet has expanded system capabilities and added a variety of new products, systems, and packages that provide dealers more opportunities to meet the home automation and audio/video needs of their clients. With the addition of the Vibe™ Video System, CCTV and Weather Applications, an MDU-targeted Vibe Audio Server, and Builder/MDU lighting and audio packages, Colorado vNet dealers are entering new markets and increasing sales to existing and previous clients. Integrators have also taken advantage of the Colorado vNet Wireless Lighting & Control System for retrofit installations in times when new construction is slow.

“Our 2008 growth can be directly attributed to the growing interest by integrators and their clients in an affordable alternative to completely custom solutions.” said Mike Malone, VP of Sales for Colorado vNet. “We will continue to enhance our systems to provide solutions that keep our dealers’ businesses growing in this tight economy,” he continued.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Named 2009 Mark of Excellence Award Finalist

Colorado vNet — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Loveland, CO – February 9, 2009 – The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA®) announced that Colorado vNet was named a finalist for the 2009 Mark of Excellence Awards, presented by CEA’s TechHome Division. CEA’s Mark of Excellence Awards recognizes the Vibe™ Video Server/Player as a finalist in the supplier category of Best Media Server for outstanding achievement and innovation in trend setting custom home electronics. Each of the TechHome Mark of Excellence Award categories has a four-member judging team comprised of systems integrators, manufacturers, members of the trade press and industry consultants. Winners will be announced at the Mark of Excellence Awards Dinner on Friday, March 13th at the Rosen Center Hotel in conjunction with the 10th annual Electronic House Expo (EHX) Spring 2009, in Orlando, Florida.

With a simple on-screen interface, the Vibe™ Video Server/Player provides homeowners convenient and affordable access to entire DVD, CD and photo collections from any high-definition TV in their home. The heart of the Vibe™ Video System is the Vibe Video Server/Player which stores and plays archived DVDs, CDs, and photos. Available in 1 or 2TB storage capacities with RAID 1 Backup, the Server/Player will hold approximately 100 or 200 DVDs respectively. Rack-mountable Network Servers offering storage of 150, 300, or 600 DVDs in a RAID 5 configuration are also available.

Advanced upscaling technology delivers gorgeous DVD playback up to 1080p. Both the Server/Players and Player play Blu-ray Disc media and support high definition televisions or AV receivers with HDMI and component video. The system also supports all major surround sound formats including Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio.

“We’re excited to have Vibe Video named a Mark of Excellence finalist. It confirms the system is unique in the industry—offering powerful features at a price our dealers can easily sell,” Bill Beierwaltes, Colorado vNet CEO.

About CEA
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the $173 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry. More than 2,200 companies enjoy the benefits of CEA membership, including legislative advocacy, market research, technical training and education, industry promotion and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CEA also sponsors and manages the International CES – Where Entertainment, Technology and Business Converge. All profits from CES are reinvested into CEA’s industry services. Find CEA online at www.CE.org.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Enhances Security Application with Pre-Integrated Support for DSC and GE Security Systems

Colorado vNet — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The Colorado vNet home automation system supports three leading security systems including DSC PowerSeries™, GE Concord™4 Series, and specific Honeywell Vista models.

Loveland, CO – February 27, 2009 – Colorado vNet has extended the capability of its Security Application to offer complete control over industry-leading security systems, including DSC PowerSeries™ and GE Concord™4 Series, in addition to the Honeywell Vista models previously supported. Using the Colorado vNet Security Application, all the functions of a standard security system keypad are integrated into a Vibe™ Touchscreen, providing the convenience of managing the system from any room, but without another keypad on the wall. Users can arm or disarm one or multiple partitions from any Touchscreen. For instance, homeowners can separately arm the main house and guest house with just one security system or quickly notify emergency response teams if necessary using easily identified panic buttons.

The pre-integrated Security Application Module acts as the gateway between the Colorado vNet system and the third party security systems. All necessary interface design, driver programming, and protocol conversion is already done and thoroughly tested. Installation and configuration is as simple as connecting the module and naming each security partition using vNet Producer™—the same wizard-based software used to configure the Colorado vNet Vibe Audio System and other Colorado vNet Applications. With the SE1-40 Application Module, up to 40 Touchscreens can control any configured security keypad. For smaller installations, four additional Security Application Modules (SE1-5, SE1-10, SE1-20, and SE1-30) are available.

“Dealer feedback indicated that additional support of DSC and GE security systems would provide them greater business opportunities,” said Scott Stephenson, director of marketing and product management. “Our pre-integrated approach makes it easy for our dealers to add security system control without custom programming.”

To see the complete line of Colorado vNet home automation and digital entertainment systems, visit booth 802 at the Electronic House Expo in Orlando, Florida from March 12-14, 2009.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Provides Business Sustainability in Tough Economy

Colorado vNet — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Company launches “Why vNet NOW!” campaign at EHX to emphasize that higher profitability and long-term success stem from unique Colorado vNet business model.

Loveland, CO – March 4, 2009 – Colorado vNet will launch its “Why vNet NOW!” campaign at the opening of the Electronic House Expo (EHX) in Orlando, Florida next week, emphasizing that the company’s unique business model is the key to integrators succeeding in today’s turbulent economy. Colorado vNet will discuss case study comparisons between themselves and market leaders; demonstrate their whole-house control and audio/video solutions; and host beer receptions on both Thursday and Friday afternoons. The “Why vNet NOW!” campaign highlights the benefits of working with Colorado vNet:
Lowest Installation Costs
Pre-integrated systems from Colorado vNet are easily configured and quickly installed—without staffing or outsourcing of expensive custom programmers. A complete Colorado vNet system including audio, weather, climate, security and CCTV control on 15 Touchscreens can be configured and commissioned in 30 minutes, whereas a similar system from industry competitors would take multiple days. Plus, low equipment costs provide Colorado vNet dealers and their clients an affordable, yet complete solution when budgets are tight.
Lowest Support Costs
Colorado vNet systems utilize distributed processing technology providing flexible, scalable,reliable solutions. There’s no central processor to fail, so integrators eliminate costly trips to reset systems—saving labor, vehicle wear and tear, and lost opportunities. Additionally, Colorado vNet systems are designed and tested to be easy for homeowners to use—saving integrators time training clients.
Lowest Risk
Pre-integrated systems from Colorado vNet provide a repeatable experience that leads to predictable profit. There is no risky experimentation with each installation, and no worry about losing highly trained employees or the lack of control over outsourced programmers.
To see the complete line of Colorado vNet home automation and digital entertainment systems—and enjoy free beer—visit booth #802 at the expo.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Refuses to Participate in the Recession

Colorado vNet — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Company reports double-digit growth in Q1 and all-time record month for shipments in February.

Loveland, CO – April 15, 2009 – Colorado vNet reported today positive first quarter results for 2009 with double-digit sales growth over the first quarter of 2008, and an all-time record month for shipments in February. Coming at a time when several manufacturers and integrators continue to struggle through a 30% market decline, the announcement reinforces the strength in the Colorado vNet business strategy. By designing simple, pre-integrated home automation and digital audio/video solutions, Colorado vNet keeps installation and support costs low, thereby increasing the number of jobs dealers can execute, and ultimately, dealer profitability. “With record shipments in February, we’re definitely seeing a thaw in the market,” said Mike Malone, VP of Sales for Colorado vNet. “Installations that were put on hold late last year have been reignited, and many jobs that were originally ear-marked for high-end competitors have been converted to Colorado vNet because our systems are less time-consuming, less risky, and less costly,” he continued.

Pro Home Systems in Oakland and Walnut Creek, California is one such integrator company that wanted to expand its offerings. Kevin Vawter, VP of Sales for Pro Home Systems, commented, “Colorado vNet is an up-and-comer in the fast-emerging home automation industry. Their solutions are easy to install and provide us an opportunity to reach a broader range of clients. Overall, they are an exciting company and we look forward to many years of growth and profitability in working with them.”

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Secures Investment for Continued Growth

Colorado vNet — Tue, 26 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Growing home control and multi-room audio/video manufacturer utilizes capital for inventory and expansion.

Loveland, CO – May 26, 2009 – Colorado vNet, a Loveland, CO-based manufacturer of award-winning home automation and distributed digital audio/video solutions, has announced today it has closed a round of private funding to fuel the company’s market expansion efforts both in North America and internationally.
"Our philosophy has always been to build products of the highest quality with unrivaled usability and design, said Bill Beierwaltes, CEO. “This investment reinforces the strength of that business strategy.” Colorado vNet CFO Tom Gambon added “We are confident this support will accelerate our product development efforts and help us significantly grow our business."

Referencing a recent ABI Research study that indicated home automation system shipments will reach 2.8 million by 2011, Mike Malone, VP of Sales for Colorado vNet, commented, “We are well positioned to meet the growing demands of the market. Our dealers remain excited about our solutions, and this investment gives us the capital to grow the business and improve service levels to our integrators.”

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Launches Three New Lighting & Control Modules and Enhanced Design Software

Colorado vNet — Fri, 29 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Loveland, CO – May 29, 2009 – Colorado vNet, a Loveland, CO-based manufacturer of award-winning home automation and distributed audio/video systems, released today three new lighting and control products along with a new version of the industry’s only floorplan-based lighting control design software, vNet Builder™ 4.

New Control Modules

The Wireless RS-232/IR Module, Wireless Input/Output Module, and the Control Gateway provide additional functionality and enhanced integration with third-party devices, specifically:

• The Wireless RS-232/IR Module provides RS-232 control over third-party devices, and allows third-party devices such as touch panels and universal remotes to trigger lighting and home automation scene changes in the Colorado vNet Wireless Lighting & Control System using either RS-232 or IR. Wireless communication over the ZigBee® Pro mesh network allows easy installation near the connected device(s).

• The Wireless Input/Output Module provides one low-voltage input channel and one low-voltage output channel. The input channel senses contact closure triggers such as PIRs, door magnets, glass break detectors, etc. while the output channel controls external high-voltage relays or Class 2 relays such as gas fireplaces, furnaces, drapes, garage doors, etc. Wireless communication over the ZigBee® Pro mesh network allows easy installation near the connected device(s).

• The Control Gateway allows third-party systems and control devices to trigger lighting and home automation scene changes in Colorado vNet lighting systems, and vice versa. Functionally, the Control Gateway provides significantly more memory than the existing Colorado vNet RS-232 Gateway to handle the large scripts required for more complex external control systems.

vNet Builder 4

Known for the revolutionary ability to import a floorplan from nearly any format and create a lighting control system on top, vNet Builder software has simplified the way custom integrators approach lighting control. By simply dragging and dropping loads, sensors, and other third-party devices along with Colorado vNet control modules, integrators   (continued) are able to wire, program and test and simulate the system well before the first wire is pulled. Once satisfied with the design, integrators can generate documentation such as Bills of Materials, high voltage wiring diagrams for electricians, and also customize Touchpad labels to match homeowner décor.

“With the release of vNet Builder 4, we have addressed the requests of our integrators with numerous enhancements and features for more complex programming scenarios,” commented Scott Stephenson, director of product management and marketing for Colorado vNet.

About Colorado vNet
Colorado vNet manufactures a wide range of whole-house control solutions for lighting, climate, security, CCTV cameras, and distributed digital entertainment. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet products are quick to install, easy to use, and complement any décor. For more information, please visit www.coloradovnet.com or call 1-800-987-VNET.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet to Launch New Family of Touchscreens at CEDIA

Colorado vNet — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
New products and unique business model continue to provide custom integrators lower cost, lower risk systems with greater profitability and style than industry competitors.

Loveland, CO – August 3, 2009 – Colorado vNet, a Loveland, CO-based manufacturer of award-winning home automation and distributed audio/video systems, will launch a new family of Vibe™ Touchscreens at the CEDIA Expo in Atlanta, Georgia in September. The new 4.7-inch and 7-inch Touchscreens offer a choice of integrated 50 watt digital amplifier (25 watts per channel), 100 watt digital amplifier (50 watts per channel), or no amplifier— and both include microphone and speaker to support a future intercom application. Similar to the company’s existing 7-inch Color Touchscreen Amplifier, the new Touchscreens are capable of power over Ethernet, so that a single cable provides audio, data and power to the device.

Scott Stephenson, director of product management and marketing for Colorado vNet commented, “With various price points and dozens of designer faceplate options, our new Touchscreen family provides even greater versatility.” The 4.7-inch Touchscreen will be available for shipping at the end of September and the new 7-inch will follow in October. See these new products and many more new features of the entire family of Colorado vNet home automation and distributed entertainment systems in CEDIA booth #2637.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Kicks Off the “Ultimate Control Tour” at CEDIA

Colorado vNet — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Company forgoes traditional booth in favor of a sixty-city road show promoting over 25 new products, sales and technical training, and dealer lead generation among builders, architects, designers, and homeowners.

Loveland, CO – August 20, 2009 – Colorado vNet will kick off the Ultimate Control Tour at CEDIA next month as the largest product launch initiative in the company’s history. Beginning at the show in Atlanta, Georgia, the 60-city road show will journey across the United States, Canada, and Mexico over the course of 90 days, revealing a multitude of new products, control capabilities, and features of the Colorado vNet home control and digital audio/video systems. The tour will feature afternoon sessions specific to custom integrators with new product demonstrations including the new family of Touchscreens, remote control Tablets, and A/V Control, along with technical and sales training to help integrators close more business. Colorado vNet will also host demos and drinks in the evening to build awareness among homeowners, builders, architects and designers—ultimately driving business to dealers. Admission is free for both sessions, but registration is required via www.coloradovnet.com/tour or 1-866-320-9392.

Scott Stephenson, Colorado vNet director of marketing, commented on the decision to forgo using a traditional tradeshow booth, “We have to spend our marketing dollars wisely—just as any business in this economy. We questioned if it was more important to spend gobs of money to ship our 40 x 50 booth to CEDIA—or provide the support necessary for our dealers to close more business. We could have pulled out of the show altogether like many other companies, but we chose to both support the CEDIA organization and our dealers, whether they attend CEDIA or not.”

“Not everyone can spend the money and time to travel to CEDIA. With the Ultimate Control Tour, we’re bringing the CEDIA experience to our dealers.” said Mike Malone, VP of Sales for Colorado vNet. “It’s just the kind of support our dealers have requested—they want to know everything about our product offering so they can better communicate its benefits to their clients, inevitably selling more systems.”

Colorado vNet is offering an added incentive for integrators to attend the tour. All integrator attendees will be entered to win the “Ultimate Red Rocks Concert Package” where the winner and a guest will attend a 2010 concert of their choice at the legendary outdoor venue in Colorado. Airfare, hotel, limo and more will be provided and the drawing will be held at the close of the tour in December.

For complete tour and prize details, or to register, visit www.coloradovnet.com/tour or call 1-866-320-9392.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Russound Completes Acquisition of Colorado vNet

Colorado vNet — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
-- Distribution to Remain Unchanged as Future Synergies are Explored --

NEWMARKET, N.H., October 19, 2009 – Russound, the #1 brand in multiroom audio, today announced it has completed its acquisition of privately-held Colorado vNet, a Loveland, CO-based manufacturer of automation & control systems.

“Now that the ink has dried, I can tell you we are thrilled to welcome the Colorado vNet team to the Russound Family,” said Charlie Porritt, CEO of Russound. “We are committed to retaining the integrity of the Colorado vNet brand and all its assets while looking at how the two brands can work in tandem to benefit our respective customer bases.”

As previously announced, Colorado vNet will continue to provide its award-winning home control system direct to its authorized dealers and will continue operations out of Loveland, Colorado. Russound’s and Colorado vNet’s respective US sales organizations will remain separate.

Though there are at present no immediate plans to merge the companies’ respective technical support and training programs, Russound is exploring the potential for such synergies in the near future.

“Any integration of any of our customer service programs will only be explored and implemented if we see there are irreproachable benefits for our dealers,” said Porritt.

“Russound’s online training system is considered among the best in the business, so naturally we want to extend its value by offering web-based training for both product lines to authorized dealers,” added Porritt. “We’re also looking at ways to allow dealers to take hands-on training on either product line at both Russound and vNet facilities”

When exploring ways for the two brands to combine efforts, thereby saving time and resources for their dealers, Porritt noted that distribution will remain separate, “…there are other economies of scale that can be gained by sharing resources for the two brands.”

Looking ahead, Porritt said that engineering resources may be shared to develop products for both brands.

“One of the most exciting aspects of this acquisition is how it opens the door for true collaboration between the two companies,” said Porritt. “Between Russound’s audio expertise and Colorado vNet’s leadership in automation and integration technologies, we will be able to develop products that will simplify and ultimately redefine the market for whole-house entertainment and control solutions.”

About Russound
Since 1967, innovation, quality and reliability have been the pillars of the Russound product tradition. Located in Newmarket, N.H., USA, Russound, the #1 brand in multiroom audio*, offers the products and expertise customers need to enjoy multiroom audio and video systems in the home. For more than 40 years, Russound has continued to cater to installation professionals and their customers by pairing powerful systems using the latest technologies with intuitive controls to give customers high-performance, easy-to-use solutions. For more information, visit the company’s Web site at www.russound.com.

*#1 Brand in Multiroom Audio according to EH Research for Brand Awareness from 2005 to 2008.

About Colorado vNet
Colorado vNet manufactures a wide range of whole-house control solutions for lighting, climate, security, CCTV, weather, and distributed digital entertainment. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet products are quick to install, easy to use, and complement any décor.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Appoints Patrick Donnelly to the Position of European Sales Manager

Colorado vNet — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

-- Donnelly Holds Similar Role with vNet Parent, Russound --

LOVELAND, CO, March 1, 2010 — Colorado vNet today announced that custom industry veteran Patrick Donnelly is now the company’s European Sales Manager, a title he holds with parent company Russound as well.

“Colorado vNet made its European debut at the recent ISE show in Amsterdam, and I’m thrilled to say it was a great success for the brand,” commented Petro Shimonishi, Colorado vNet’s Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “The European market represents an important business opportunity, and I am confident that Patrick will do a great job in building sales in that marketplace.”

Added Shimonishi: “Patrick is one of the most experienced and respected sales professionals in the custom industry, on either side of the Atlantic. By handling both Colorado vNet and the Russound brands, Patrick is in a unique position to help our friends in Europe to create complete home entertainment & home automation solutions to satisfy every client’s needs.”

In his new role, Donnelly will oversee building distribution in Europe for Colorado vNet’s products, in addition to developing programs that take advantage of the potential synergy between Colorado vNet and its parent company.

Russound/Colorado vNet

“I can’t imagine a better complement to the Russound family than Colorado vNet,” commented Donnelly. “Each brand’s respective strengths add up to one of the most potent catalogs in the business. I can’t wait to see how the two lines will be implemented across the continent.”

Donnelly is a seasoned electronics industry expert, having spent nine years as Director of Training — Director of Field Training for OnQ Legrand. Earlier in his career, Donnelly served with several leading custom electronics companies, including Titus Management Group, which specializes in structured wiring solutions. He also co-founded Mod-Tap RCS (Residential Cabling System – Molex), which, in the mid-90s, gained notoriety for developing residential communication products for the new found sibling residential structured wiring market, both in the U.S. and abroad.

Donnelly currently lives in Charlton, MA. He can be reached at: Patrick.donnelly@coloradovnet.com

About Colorado vNet. Colorado vNet manufactures a wide range of whole-house control solutions for lighting, climate, security, CCTV, weather, and distributed digital entertainment. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet products are quick to install, easy to use, and complement any décor. Colorado vNet is a Russound company with operations headquartered in Loveland, CO.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Names Roberts Associates Manufacturer's Representative Firm for New England

Colorado vNet — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

--New England-Based Roberts Associates Adds Complete Colorado vNet Line To Its Selection Of Advanced Custom Installation CE Solutions --

LOVELAND, CO, March 29, 2010 — In a move that heralds a new era of growth and accessibility for the brand, Colorado vNet, a leading developer of whole-house control solutions, today announced that it has retained Roberts Associates of Burlington, MA as its manufacturer’s rep firm for the New England territory.

"Roberts Associates' relationships are some of the strongest in the consumer electronics business," commented Petro Shimonishi, VP of Sales & Marketing, Colorado vNet. "They treat every manufacturer as a true partner while their commitment to customer service is second to none. They also have a good track record of selling home automation and entertainment systems, so for us, it's a natural fit."

"I've been a big fan of the Colorado vNet since it first entered the CI market," said Steve Presti, Principal of Roberts Associates. "Not only are their products reliable, but they are drop-dead gorgeous as well. I’m thrilled to bring this important line to our dealers throughout New England."

Roberts Associates (www.roberts-associates.net) is one of the premier manufacturer's representative firms in the consumer electronics industry, bringing a select group of product lines to dealers throughout the six states of New England (CT, MA, VT, NH, ME and RI).

"One of the most appealing aspects of Colorado vNet is the parent company," added Presti. "From an integration standpoint, Russound is one of the best companies bringing new products and technologies to market. With the addition of Colorado vNet, CI specialists can offer complete whole house entertainment and control solutions that are backed up by an unshakable approach to customer service at all levels. We're looking forward to helping our clients grow their business with this exciting addition to our product offering."

About Colorado vNet
Colorado vNet manufactures a wide range of whole-house control solutions for lighting, climate, security, CCTV, weather, and distributed digital entertainment. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet products are quick to install, easy to use, and complement any décor. Colorado vNet is a Russound company with operations headquartered in Loveland, CO. For more information, visit www.coloradovnet.com.

About Roberts Associates
Roberts Associates is dedicated to increasing the sales and market share of a select group of product lines in the consumer electronics industry. The company's long-term relationships with its vendors and accounts, along with our numerous awards, are indicative of its commitment and success. To better respond to the dynamics of the consumer electronics industry Roberts Associates has expanded its offices and sales staff to meet the changing needs of our dealers and the manufacturers they represent. For more information, visit www.roberts-associates.net.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet's Next-Gen Dealer Programming Software Features Multi-Language Support on Colorado vNet Touchscreens

Colorado vNet — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

--Colorado vNet Builder 4.6 To Be Available in Current and Upcoming Touchscreens --

LOVELAND, CO, April 5, 2010 — Colorado vNet, a leading developer of whole-house control solutions, will soon release an updated version of its dealer programming software, dubbed vNet Builder version 4.6.

The new vNet Builder 4.6 includes firmware that supports several key features, including support for multiple languages on Colorado vNet touchscreens, international tuner frequency selection, and accommodation for 220V and 240V installations.

“The multi-language feature is a major step forward for the CI market, and our company in particular,” commented Charlie Porritt, CEO of Russound, parent company of Colorado vNet. “As we continue to increase our focus on commercial venues like hotels, spas and hospitals, it’s critical to accommodate clients and staff who speak a variety of languages. This upgrade will improve the end-user experience by a wide margin, while giving our customers an important new selling tool when bidding on profitable new projects.”

The new vNet Builder 4.6 programming software was designed with international expansion in mind. vNet Builder allows users to select the language of their choice directly from any Colorado vNet touchscreen. As soon as the selection is made, the entire user interface will immediately switch to the preferred language for seamless navigation and control. The initial version will include support for English, Spanish, French and Portuguese, with additional languages to be added later in the year.

Acclaimed for their reliability and intuitive interface, Colorado vNet’s advanced touch screen controls give end-users a bottomless well of features and options that are only limited by the elements of the system itself. Users (or in the case of commercial sites, facility managers) decide whether they want all sources available throughout the home or facility, or to allow specific sources to be accessed in specific zones.

When commissioning the system, the installer can choose U.S. or European default voltage settings, or tailor the specifications for low or high frequencies, channel spacing, and pre-emphasis, a process that increases, within a band of frequencies, the magnitude of some higher frequencies with respect to lower frequencies in order to improve the overall signal-to-noise ratio. vNet Builder 4.6 is fully compatible with 120V, 220V and 240V sites, and features the automatic calculation of the total load required for the installation.

The new vNet Builder version 4.6 will be available later this month as a firmware upgrade for Colorado vNet’s TA1-70 7" in-wall touchscreen control as well as the upcoming 4.7" TS1-4/50 and 7" TS1-7/70 models. Both the TS1-4 and TS1-7 will ship in May. (A formal announcement will be released in April.)

“vNet Builder is the backbone of our touchscreens, which are of course the ‘point of entry’ for the end-user’s access to the system,” added Porritt. “We view it as our obligation to not only make the experience as intuitive and enjoyable, but to continually re-visit the product to see how we can make it better. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that multi-lingual capability will be an important benefit to thousands of end-users while giving our dealers an important, effective new profit-builder for 2010.”

About Colorado vNet
Colorado vNet manufactures a wide range of whole-house control solutions for lighting, climate, security, CCTV, weather, and distributed digital entertainment. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet products are quick to install, easy to use, and complement any décor. Colorado vNet is a Russound company with operations headquartered in Loveland, CO. For additional information, visit www.coloradovnet.com.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet To Integrate With KNX-Approved Devices For Residential And Commercial Controls

Colorado vNet — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

— vNet Cites KNX Association’s Commitment To Worldwide Interoperability As Essential To Brand’s Growth Around The Globe—

LOVELAND, CO, April 20, 2010 — Colorado vNet, a leading developer of wholehouse control solutions, used the occasion of the International Light + Building Show in Frankfurt, Germany to announce integration with KNX-approved devices via RS232 protocol.

Colorado vNet is emphasizing integration between its award winning audio distribution and home automation system, and KNX-approved systems that adhere to the association’s standards, which are accepted throughout Europe, China, the U.S. and other international markets. KNX compatibility ensures a high degree of flexibility in the extension and in the modification of installations.

“The KNX Association’s hard work is breaking down barriers for manufacturers like Colorado vNet that are expanding deeper into new markets around the globe,” commented Charlie Porritt, CEO of Colorado vNet.

“Colorado vNet is, without a doubt, one of the most forward-thinking designers and manufacturers of whole-facility controls in the business,” said Heinz Lux, Director of Sales and Marketing for KNX. “Their commitment to integrating with KNX-approved Colorado vNet/KNX devices is an important step forward in ensuring seamless compatibility for myriad control products, no matter where they are installed.”

KNX’s stand #11.1 C97 at the International Light + Building Show in Frankfurt featured a wide range of Colorado vNet’s latest and most in-demand products, including two new touchscreens: TS1-4/50 and TS1-7/70, both of which are currently available. The TS1- 4/50 features an internal 2 x 50 watt digital amplifier, while the TS1-7/70 includes a 2 x 70 watt digital amp. In order to give installers and end-users the widest selection possible, both models are available in a variety of designer bezel colors, including white, black, stainless steel, wood grain, marble, burl, blue linen, green linen, cherry, and more. (Designer bezels are sold separately.)
# # #

About Colorado vNet
Colorado vNet manufactures a wide range of whole-house control solutions for lighting, climate, security, CCTV, weather, and distributed digital entertainment. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet products are quick to install, easy to use, and complement any décor. Colorado vNet is a Russound company with operations headquartered in Loveland, CO. For more information, visit www.coloradovnet.com .

About KNX Association
KNX Association is the creator and owner of the KNX technology — the worldwide STANDARD for all applications in home and building control, ranging from lighting and shutter control to various security systems, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, monitoring, alarming, water control, energy management, metering as well as household appliances, audio and lots more. KNX is the worldwide STANDARD for home and building control with a single, manufacturer independent design and commissioning tool (ETS), with a complete set of supported communication media (TP, PL, RF and IP) as well as a complete set of supported configuration modes (system and easy mode). KNX is approved as a European (CENELEC EN 50090 and CEN EN 13321-1) and an International standard (ISO/IEC 14543-3). This standard is based upon more than 18 years of experience in the market including its predecessors, EIB, EHS and BatiBUS. Over 150 member companies worldwide from different application domains have almost 7000 KNX certified product groups in their catalogues. The KNX Association has partnership agreements with more than 30,000 installer companies in almost 80 countries.

For more information, visit www.knx.org.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Retains Bach Sales Group To Serve As Manufacturer’s Representative for the NYC Metro Area

Colorado vNet — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

— Long Island-Based Bach Sales Group Seen As Integral to Company’s Goals For Extending Brand Reach Throughout Key Markets —

LOVELAND, CO, April 27, 2010 — Colorado vNet, a leading developer of whole-house control solutions, is continuing to extend the reach of the brand by retaining its second new manufacturer’s rep firm of 2010, Bach Sales Group of Westbury, NY.

“Bach Sales is the epitome of what a seasoned rep firm should be,” commented Petro Shimonishi, VP of Sales & Marketing for Colorado vNet. “Their product selection represents the best of the best, which only makes sense given that they service the lucrative New York metropolitan area. When you combine that with an unshakable professionalism built on a foundation of integrity and reliability, it’s no wonder that Bach Sales is one of the most respected rep firms in the consumer technology business.”

Bach Sales Group, which serves New York City, Long Island, Westchester, and New Jersey, takes a triple-prong approach to supporting their customers, with sales training, communication and technical support that is available where and when their clients need it most. The company employs professionals with extensive backgrounds in retail, custom installation and related markets, bringing a skill set to that has helped Bach Sales Group earn numerous awards for sales performance and unique, cost-effective marketing programs.

“When my partner Harry Bromer and I started this business, we committed to working with only those vendors who offer stand-out product lines and share our never-ending commitment to customer service,” said Barry Balcourt, Principal, Bach Sales Group. “For these qualities alone, Colorado vNet is our perfect vendor partner.”

For more information about Bach Sales Group, call 1-516-334-2323.

# # #

About Colorado vNet
Colorado vNet manufactures a wide range of whole-house control solutions for lighting, climate, security, CCTV, weather, and distributed digital entertainment. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet products are quick to install, easy to use, and complement any décor. Colorado vNet is a Russound company with operations headquartered in Loveland, CO. For more information, visit www.coloradovnet.com.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Ships Compact 4.7” In-wall Touchscreen Available with over 20 Elegant Decor Variations

Colorado vNet — Wed, 12 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

— New TS1-4/50 Lets Integrators Offer More Possibilities In More Rooms With Extensive User Control And Design Flexibility —

LOVELAND, CO, May 12, 2010 — Colorado vNet, a leading developer of wholehouse control solutions, is now shipping its TS1-4/50 Vibe Touchscreen, a compact yet powerful in-wall controller featuring a 4.7-inch widescreen color display, a built-in digital amplifier, and a broad, designer-pleasing palette of bezel colors and options.

The new, smaller Vibe Touchscreen allows versatile whole home system control and monitoring to be installed unobtrusively in virtually any size room, hallway or vestibule, and provides the end user with a rich user interface that from a cosmetic standpoint can blend seamlessly with virtually any home decor scheme.

“The new TS1-4/50 gives our dealers great new specification options,” commented Charlie Porritt, CEO of Russound, parent company of Colorado vNet. “It’s the perfect size for settings where a larger panel would be impractical or impossible, and thanks to a huge selection of bezel options, it can also provide the perfect look in almost any room, in any home.”

The new Colorado vNet TS1-4/50 features a crisp, 4.7-inch Active Matrix widescreen LCD display, along with 50 watts (2 x 25) of on-board digital audio amplification. A line input allows convenient connection to a local audio source such as an iPod, while a line output that is configurable for fixed or variable output allows easy integration to the rest of a home control system. The flush-mount TS1-4/50 allows users to control audio, lighting, climate, security systems, video cameras and more, with an intuitive, easy-to-use graphical user interface that displays full entertainment metadata, including cover art.

A remarkably generous selection of 20 optional bezel color and surface options (sold separately) allows integrators unsurpassed flexibility in blending the TS1-4/50 into any home decor scheme. Options include woods, marble, granite, textile and stainless steel textures, available over black or white faceplates. Each design provides an elegant yet unobtrusive visual canvas for the rich, full-color experience of the Vibe controller. Rough-in boxes for the new 4.7" panel will also be shipping at the same time as the new TS1-4/50.

In related news, Colorado vNet recently announced a new version of its vNet Builder 4.6.75 programming software, which is now available on the Colorado vNet website. This latest version includes support for the new TS1-4/50 touchscreen, as well as the new TS1-7/70 in-wall LCD touchscreen (available July 2010). Both provide end-user selectable support in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.

About Colorado vNet
Colorado vNet manufactures a wide range of whole-house control solutions for lighting, climate, security, CCTV, weather, and distributed digital entertainment. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet products are quick to install, easy to use, and complement any décor. Colorado vNet is a Russound company with operations headquartered in Loveland, CO. For additional information, visit www.coloradovnet.com.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Adds The Meyer Group To Growing Roster of Top-Shelf Rep Firms

Colorado vNet — Wed, 19 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

— The Meyer Group Retained To Serve Chicagoland Region CI Pros —

LOVELAND, CO, May 19, 2010 — Colorado vNet, a leading developer of whole-house control solutions, today announced it has retained The Meyer Group to serve as the brand’s sales representative firm in the Chicagoland area, including most of Illinois and Wisconsin.

“Between Ted Meyer and his partner Loretta Giangiorgi, The Meyer Group brings more than 50 years of experience to CE sales, with bullet-proof track record of achievements that sets a stellar example for everyone who has the pleasure to work with them,” commented Petro Shimonishi, VP of Sales & Marketing for Colorado vNet. “We are looking forward to a mutually lucrative relationship as Ted and Loretta help spread the word about Colorado vNet to their customers throughout Chicagoland.”

“We have been fans of the vNet product line since the company’s inception, so when our friends at Russound acquired the brand, we jumped at the chance to represent it in the Chicagoland region,” said Ted Meyer, President of The Meyer Group. “As a firm we prefer to work with a select group of emerging tech companies that are considered stand-outs in their categories, I can’t think of a better fit than Colorado vNet, especially since we continue to enjoy a 25-year relationship with their parent company. I’m thrilled to add them to our mix.”

The Meyer Group specializes in working with CI specialists, retailers, and distributors who offer their clients leading edge technology products from a select group of industry leading manufacturers. For more information about The Meyer Group, call 262-377-4319.

About Colorado vNet
Colorado vNet manufactures a wide range of whole-house control solutions for lighting, climate, security, CCTV, weather, and distributed digital entertainment. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet products are quick to install, easy to use, and complement any décor. Colorado vNet is a Russound company with operations headquartered in Loveland, CO. For additional information, visit www.coloradovnet.com.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Kicks Off Online Training Program With Its High Performance Vibe System

Colorado vNet — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

— Updated Online Program Presents Soup-To-Nuts Product Training With Sales and Marketing Support —

LOVELAND, CO, June 22, 2010 — Colorado vNet, a leading developer of whole-house control solutions, today announced it established a new Colorado vNet Online Training Program, with the inaugural program focusing on the company’s Vibe IP-based digitally distributed audio system.

“The Colorado vNet Online Training Program is designed to do more than simply bring our certified dealers up to speed on a given topic, though of course that is the most critical component,” commented Charlie Porritt, CEO of Colorado vNet and Russound (parent company of Colorado vNet). “But, along with a detailed education on the product, we incorporate recommendations for sales and marketing projects that can spell the difference between an average install and custom for life.”

The program, which is open exclusively to certified Colorado vNet dealers, provides a detailed overview of the Vibe system, with interactive tips and tests to ensure a bullet-proof background in the product line.

To register for the Colorado vNet Online Training Program, dealers should visit http://breeze.russound.com/vibecommissioningdemo/event/registration.html for details and the required form. Additional courses will be added for certified dealers as well as prospective dealer candidates in the future.

The Vibe IP-based digital distributed audio system features a control interface that is simple to operate, highly reliable and of a design aesthetic that complements any décor. And, because it is scalable, the Vibe system will grow with the end-user’s needs, affording dealers ongoing opportunities to build upon the original installation.

Colorado vNet chose to commence the program with Vibe because, “…Vibe epitomizes the best of what vNet offers a demanding client,” said Porritt. “Its simplicity and elegant design is matched only by the advanced digital technology that makes it one of the most flexible systems on the market.”

Added Porritt: “And the sonics will satisfy the most ardent audiophile in the house.”

About Colorado vNet
Colorado vNet manufactures a wide range of whole-house control solutions for lighting, climate, security, CCTV, weather, and distributed digital entertainment. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet products are quick to install, easy to use, and complement any décor. Colorado vNet is a Russound company with operations headquartered in Loveland, CO. For additional information, visit www.coloradovnet.com.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Colorado vNet Doubles Sales Rep Force, Bringing The Total To Six In Four Months

Colorado vNet — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

-- WSR Sales, WSR Florida and Balaton Marketing Added To Growing List Of A-Level Sales Rep Firms Handling Colorado vNet --

LOVELAND, CO, June 30, 2010 — Colorado vNet Corp., a leading developer of whole-house control solutions, recently retained three new sales representative firms, bringing the total up to six in as many months.

“One of the best ways to ensure top-level service and support for existing and prospective Colorado vNet dealers is to continue adding top-level independent manufacturer’s sales rep firms to the vNet family,” said Petro Shimonishi, Colorado vNet’s VP of Sales & Marketing.

The three sales representative firms that have joined the Colorado vNet fold include:

WSR Sales, covering Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee

WSR Florida

Balaton Marketing, covering the Mid-Atlantic region

The three new firms join Ted Meyer Group, Bach Sales Group, and Roberts Associates, all of which were signed since the beginning of the year.

Added Shimonishi: “As we continue to look at ways to grow Colorado vNet, we know that all the advanced technology on the planet won’t matter if we don’t provide impeccable service to match the quality of our product line. By working with best-in-class firms, we can guarantee that our products are being sold by the most knowledgeable professionals in the CI business.”

About Colorado vNet
Colorado vNet manufactures a wide range of whole-house control solutions for lighting, climate, security, CCTV, weather, and distributed digital entertainment. Blending reliability, scalability and flexibility with award-winning contemporary design, Colorado vNet products are quick to install, easy to use, and complement any décor. Colorado vNet is a Russound company with operations headquartered in Loveland, CO. For additional information, visit www.coloradovnet.com.

Colorado vNet Press Contact:    Phone 347.497.4965

   Email pr@coloradovnet.com

Vibe Video System Product	SKU	MSRP
Server/Players	VS1-100S VS1-200S	$3,999 $4,999
Player	VP1-1S	$2,199
Network Servers	VN1-150 VN1-300 VN1-600	$4,999 $5,999 $7,999