A provider of smart home and A/V systems since 1994, Israel-based Global Quality provides its customers with a unique, state-of-the-art showroom that illustrates the advanced capabilities of the products it offers in both residential and commercial environments. Global Quality designed the 3200-square-foot (300-square-meter) Experience Center around RTI's control solutions, showcasing the company's latest products controlling a wide variety of systems.

"It's extremely important for our success to demonstrate the powerful capabilities and ease of use of RTI's solutions for our customers," said Dikla Dinur Palensya, Experience Center manager for Global Quality. "A primary reason for this is that many people are intimidated by technology to some degree. A common fear is that they will make a large investment in smart home technology or a home theater system, and then not be able to operate the complicated equipment. So it's imperative that we show them just how simple it can really be with RTI, and that's exactly what our Experience Center does."

The Experience Center consists of a kitchen, living room, bedroom, cinema room, conference room, and offices, each offering A/V, lighting, and shading systems. In addition, the space includes a security system and automated doors, while audio is streamed throughout via two RTI AD8 distributed audio systems. Control over the entire showroom is provided by RTI's XP-6 and XP-8 control processors. For large-scale and advanced projects such as the Experience Center, the two processors combine to offer an abundance of advanced control interface options, including two-way RS-232, relay, routable IR, and Ethernet control.

The Experience Center features two control solutions in each of the six areas along with four iPads® running RTI's award-winning RTiPanel app. Located in the conference room, kitchen, living room, and cinema room, the iPads can be used to control the systems in any area throughout the showroom. In addition, the system features analog-to-digital video conversion, which allows visitors to watch TV on the devices as well as video from security cameras.

To demonstrate RTI's wireless interfaces, the living room also features the sleek T2-C+ for control over A/V equipment, lighting, and curtains. In the bedroom, a unique concept for control is utilized for the A/V system: RTI's SURFiR companion remote. Providing an affordable alternative to dedicated touchpanel controllers, the SURFiR allows users to incorporate their Apple® and Android touchscreen devices as the main graphical interface for their control system, while adding the convenience of “instant on,” tactile control with hard buttons. This eliminates the numerous screen swipes needed for control tasks that require frequent interaction.

Using RTI's award-winning Integration Designer® programming software, Global Quality was able to create a clear, easy-to-use interface for each of the controllers that provides visitors with an intuitive control experience. To achieve this, the company created convenient one-button functionality activating scenarios that combine lighting with watching television or playing music, for example.

"We work with RTI because of the design and feel of the company's products, their high reliability, and advanced functionality. All of these factors have helped make our Experience Center a huge success. The space allows our customers to experience how their future home will work with RTI, and they are always amazed by the simplicity."