LTE-A, DigitalMedia™ NVX and AV-over-IP solutions are what owners would be wise to get excited about. Systems that are currently on the market and best-sellers include: Video on demand and lighting automation systems, and, in the case of CRESTRON, their total control solutions. Penny White at Veritais agrees that control systems, mainly Control4, Crestron & RTI are popular because they are versatile and can be adapted to each yacht’s requirements. They can control HVAC, Audio, TV, lighting and more. Crestron control systems are used as the industry standard on superyachts suggests Michael Munro, because they offer flexibility and remote management as well as app-based control allowing for ultimate ease of use through bespoke user interfaces.
Crestron best-sellers include the DigitalMedia™ NVX, the Crestron 3 series control systems, TSW series touchscreens that allow integrators to create a User Interface for the owners, as well as providing an overview and customising options for the ETO or Captain, and the Crestron HR remote controls. Simplicity is the key says White at Veritais and there’s also a fair trade in the latest spec large screen TVs, the larger the better. Being able to control everything including music, lighting & TV all from the comfort of your armchair or sunbed using a single device is another winner. Videoworks are doing good business in 4K displays (screens and projectors), premium quality audio and CISCO networking.
So if these technical experts were in charge of the yacht’s AV/internet shopping list, what would they be putting in the basket to wow guests and owners?
Kerkhof at Crestron is currently working on a project with a swimming pool floor that is completely made from a OLED video-wall. He definitely believes that is going to surprise people! Says Stimilli at Videoworks, “I would devote a couple of internal areas and a couple of external areas with astonishing performances and into the remaining areas solid rocket wifi for personal devices.” White is all for outdoor cinemas with folding screen & 4K projector which can easily be removed and stowed whilst at sea and dance floors with high end sound systems.
Needless to say Michael Munro opts for a dedicated cinema room by CIPOD for the ultimate escapism and a space to kick back and enjoy movies, sporting events or gaming. Says he, “Due to the unique patented materials used in a CIPOD cinema and design that enhances soundproofing, a CIPOD cinema also allows guests or family to enjoy a movie or gaming experience without the sound influencing and affecting other guests or areas of the yacht.”
Antoine Perry is non-plussed by developments in the AV area, but on the other hand, he says, the internet is changing and innovating very fast. And it’s all about SD WAN. “Huh?”, you say. Yup, I’m hearing you. The softwaredefined
wide-area network (SD-WAN or SDWAN) is a specific application of software defined networking (SDN) technology applied to WAN connections, which are used to connect enterprise networks, including branch offices and data centres, over large geographic distances.
A WAN might be used, for example, to connect branch offices to a central corporate network, or to connect data centres separated by distance. In the past, these WAN connections often used technology that required special proprietary hardware. The SD-WAN movement seeks to move more of the network control into the ‘cloud’ using a software approach.