At a retrofit installation in Little Rock, Arkansas, residents were looking to implement a solution that would provide their 2,430-square-foot condo with a customized automation experience where scenes could automatically adjust systems such as lighting, security, shading, and a wide range of AV components. To bring this vision to life, integrator FX Pros LLC went with RTI’s lineup of powerful control and automation products. Combining advanced processor technology with incredibly flexible user interfaces, the company’s award-winning line of products allow the homeowners to  interact with a complex combination of systems simply and intuitively.

“A complex integration project doesn’t have to mean difficult operation for the user,” said Jeff Jenkins, owner of FX Pros LLC. “For these homeowners, the main concern was keeping things as simple as possible while pulling out all the stops in terms of fluid automation of shades, lights, thermostats, security cameras, fans, and a full range of top-of-the-line AV equipment. RTI’s automation solutions are the best in the business at maintaining simplicity while blending seamlessly within any environment, which is crucial during residential projects where clients actively participate in the design process. Thanks to the ability to program custom interfaces andintegration with third-party devices the residents simply push a single button to set up scenes to match any mood, environment, or time of day.”

Using RTI’s Integration Designer^® software, the integrator was able to program a selection of pre-determined scenes that  —with the push of a single button — transform the entire living experience. Using presets such as “Morning,” “Welcome,” “Goodbye,” and “Condo Off,” the system automatically regulates smart home components such as the main room’s Qmotion shades and lights in the kitchen or hallway, or instantly activates the TV while turning on the news. Facilitated by RTI’s extensive library of pre-written two-way drivers, the wide-ranging system also incorporates a Sonos^® wireless sound system, Lutron^® dimmers, Nest Learning Thermostats, a SnapAV Wirepath IP camera, and more— keeping operation simple for the users while accelerating the installation process for the integrator.

To interact with the system in the condominium’s entrance and master bedroom, household members use RTI KX7 in-wall touchpanels. Featuring 7-inch WVGA LCD screens, the award-winning interfaces provide an intuitive touchscreen experience — letting users select unified scenes or functions such as shades, RGB lighting, a bedroom TV, or live security camera feeds.  From the kitchen or main room, users obtain instant command of a 60-inch TV, a Comcast X1 DVR, or even whole-home scenes via RTI’s RK1+ four- and eight-button keypad controllers. For handheld control in the master bedroom and main bathroom, RTI’s T1-B+ remote control uses RF and IR control over a full range of AV components while a wall-mounted iPad^® mini™ equipped with the RTiPanel app provides access to any system across the entire home.

Tying the entire installation together is RTI’s powerful XP-6 and XP-8s control processors. Featuring control via RS-232, relay, IP, and routable IR, the leading solutions bring the reliability and processing speed needed to orchestrate system components commonly found in AV, security, lighting, and HVAC installations.The integrator created a bridged control solution by pairing RTI’s XP-8s to a slave XP-6 — maintaining two-way control capabilities for AV systems by placing the XP-6 in a hidden TV cabinet closer to components.

“The flexibility of RTI’s solutions is unequaled in the marketplace, allowing us to solve any installation challenge easily in order to provide customers with the automation experience they expect,” added Jenkins. “With no more than two page flips on any device, RTI’s intuitive ecosystem lets the condo owners access all facets of their system without any technical knowledge or ‘component confusion.’ This was particularly important for features such as the space’s large number of switches, including over 50 individual lighting loads that could have been overwhelming on a less functional system. The customers are pleasantly surprised at how easily every system on their list came together, proving once again that simplicity does not need to compromise integration possibilities, power, or overall performance.”