Lion Controls, a boutique integrator in Mallorca, Spain, specializes in creating customized AV experiences in high-end homes throughout Europe. So when the company moved into its new offices in 2017, it’s only natural that it tasked itself with the creation of a state-of-the-art showroom to demonstrate the latest AV technology.
Located in an exclusive residential area where any passerby is a potential client, visitors are beckoned by a 4K display in the front window that scrolls though images of the company’s products and services.
Once inside, visitors are wowed not only by the high-end elegance of the space, but by a dramatic floor-to-ceiling video wall. They can stroll through the showroom’s multiple zones on the main floor, each featuring different scenes and lighting, while the second floor offers a conference room and a dedicated cinema to showcase home theater designs and products.
The experience appears seamless to visitors, but creating it requires extensive integration and synchronization between systems behind the scenes.
“For an office like this, it’s critical to bring all the systems together under one unified control and automation system that allows for effortless control over different scenes or zone groupings. This is especially important when it comes to lighting, as doing it manually just isn’t practical,” said Karim Leo, Lion Controls director, owner, and head of programming. “I’ve been selling and installing RTI control solutions since 2011, and I use them in my home as well. The platform has proven to deliver rock-solid reliability and can handle anything I throw at it. In addition, the company offers an extensive library of two-way drivers, allowing us to incorporate virtually any component with the confidence that it can be seamlessly integrated. All of this made it the obvious choice for our showroom.”
Lion Controls’ control system is powered by RTI’s XP-8v processor, with additional XP-6s processors handling the upstairs cinema area and lighting.
Employees interact with the system via touchscreen panels featuring intuitive interfaces that allow any staff member to easily control any aspect of the office — from video and audio distribution to lighting. With a single button press, they can also select an operating mode for the showroom, whether it’s the Demo Mode when potential clients are present or Display Mode when they aren’t, in addition to turning all systems on or off.
These same capabilities are also available on mobile devices via RTI’s RTiPanel app, providing staff with control from anywhere in the showroom and allowing them to check the feed from surveillance cameras remotely. Handheld controllers located throughout the showroom allow clients to interact with the technology in the different zones, from changing channels on displays to raising and lowering blinds to controlling the entire cinema. And thanks to RTI’s Integration Designer APEX programming software, Lion Controls was able to custom-design the interfaces to ensure a consistent experience across all control devices.
“Our showroom has been a big hit with clients. They love how it allows them to experience the latest in AV technology and how easy it is to control the systems,” Leo added. “We couldn’t have pulled it off without RTI. In addition to its power and dependability, the programming couldn’t be easier, which saves us a ton of time and headaches and allows us to create pretty much any functionality we can think of. This is also important because the showroom will always be a work in progress to ensure it stays fresh and current. The APEX software, combined with RTI’s driver database, removes any limitations when it comes to adding new equipment.”
