ACX - AUTOMATED CONTROL NETWORX

Alpha - Beta - R&D: An indispensable relationship with our customers - You!

One of the things Team ACX does is listen to our clients - dealers/integrators and most importantly end users. We established an Alpha-Beta R&D program several years ago to address the wishes of our audience - the customer. Before we release a new POI to the general public it goes into the Alpha-Beta program where it must undergo real world testing with real world clients in real homes.

Similar to a “focus” group, this assortment of actual clients and select dealers provides us with invaluable insight and real world experience. Through this program we ask the Alpha – Beta participants to evaluate our POIs in a real world setting and give us their unvarnished opinions. This is where their ideas and desires for how we may improve our creations is put into action.

If the component is capable of our client's wishes, we quickly incorporate it - then its back for more testing and evaluation at the Alpha-Beta sites where the newly incorporated features are evaluated by our participants.

We take this R&D process very seriously and have adjusted POI features and controls to reflect our client's requests for many POI applications in the past - after all, isn't it the client we are designing and building systems for?

This page is dedicated to one of our many Alpha – Beta R&D installations:


Mickey showing off the kitchen panel	Jatin "playing" with the new Marantz Tuner POI

This featured Alpha-Beta system is based on the award winning and powerful commercial technology developed by Team ACX to provide remote access command and control for building management, industrial as well as robotic control systems across a secure TCP/IP Network. Tapping this established and reliable technology for residential projects proved to be more than effective, its absolutely amazing!

These Alpha-Beta clients are thrilled with their Team ACX system - The lady of the house let us know "its the easiest thing in the world to use, I just choose my zone and select my iPod button and I'm set for the afternoon". She went on to say, "its so convenient and simple, while I'm checking my email I can adjust the volume, change songs and even set the entire house with one button!"

Dad says the kids, like most kids didn't ask once how to use the Team ACX gear. He added, "its one heck of a system, I've never seen anything quite like this" - he went on to convey his enthusiasm and anticipation for our next generation of Intranet control equipment, "I can't wait to see what you guys come up with next!"

The line up for this particular Alpha-Beta site features an ALX-G1 multi-room audio package. The assemblage of Team ACX certified POI software suites are listed below along with a few note worthy non-controlled components - just follow the convenient links for each component to learn more about the manufacturer and their featured equipment. Visit our products page to learn more about Team ACX and our RCIS product line up.

Manufacturer / Equipment and POI Suite	POI	eLearning	Quantity

Team ACX ALX-G1 Remote Control Intranet Server (RCIS)			1
Team ACX DMS-MS Digital Music System - Master Server			1
Team ACX DMX-3 (DMS Extension Server 3 channel)			1
Amtek Touch Panel Tablet PC – Windows XP Pro			3

Behringer A500 Reference Studio Power Amplifier	NA		16

Marantz IS-201 iPod Integration Dock	POI Spec	Watch On Line	2
Marantz ST7001 XM-FM-AM Tuner	POI Spec	Watch On Line	1
Sonance iPort IW - iPod Inwall Docking Cradle	POI Spec		1

Rockustics (OctoRock) bridged amp -2 zones	NA		8
Snell In-Wall AMC 730 Speakers	NA		8pr.
Snell Ceiling AMC 680r	NA		6pr.

Vaux 16x16 Multi-Room Audio Pre-Amplifier (non certified)	YES		1

The iPort Inwall Cradle - right next to one of two kitchen monitors

Team ACX Testing and Verifying the new Marantz POIs

Even the patio got the Team ACX touch!

The kitchen panel - one of three for this site!

The Main Control Rack
(one of two at this site)

Above we see a close up of one of 2 Marantz IS-201 iPod Integration Docks mounted on a blank panel - this one is located on the family room's rack - audio output is routed to both the local receiver and the multi-room audio system - here are a couple links to the tech notes on how to mount an IS-201 on a rack panel as well as extend the range of the RS-232 port from the IS-201 to where ever the ALX-G1 is located.

The entire installation is stealthed. What this means is there are no traditional key pads or even volume knobs on the walls in any rooms. The lady of the home loves this! Total control of the entire home's systems is accomplished through the Team ACX POI software from any one of 3 Tablet PCs or any of the clients' personal computers including their MAC G4. The Tablets are on line 24/7 and are 100% portable . The wireless connection allows them to bring it where ever they choose without having to stand and stare at a wall to make decisions and adjustments.

The huge savings in costs for traditional keypads and control devices was transferred to the audio components (amplifiers and speakers). Here we used commercial amplifiers from Behringer (cost effective and very powerful) and hi-end speakers from Snell to greatly enhance the overall results. The Behringers deliver more than enough power (230 Watts per channel) while the Snells reproduce the client's favorite music with crisp clarity. Customization of the audio components can be accomplished with relative ease as well as tailored for every client's individual tastes, needs and budgets.

The most amazing part of the entire installation is the time it took to configure the Team ACX gear once the hardware was in place. 10 minutes! Thats right, not more than 10 minutes to setup the ALX-G1 and the DMS-MS on the network! After that it was all fun and games playing with the gear and listening to music.

Its easy to see the seamless integration of a Team ACX system through these photos. The perfect fit to our modern lifestyles is only surpassed by the ease of use and convenience that this extraordinary system provides.

Special Note: The LAN - Local Area Network is a critical aspect for any Team ACX deployment - check out the eLearning videos where you will find helpful information on how to properly configure your LAN's Router.

For more information on our Alpha-Beta program, or if you are interested in participating give us a call or drop us an email,

Automated Control Networx
130 7th. Avenue New York, NY
10011 Suite 252
T. 914.517.5400
F. 480.247.4819
info@acxlan.com

We look forward to hearing from you!