AliceVisual Systems Sales Ltd, a specialist consultancy, design, installation and service/maintenance division within the Myriad Audio Visual Group recently installed a multi-room audio and video system into a Kensington Mews House in South Kensington.
Visual Systems prides itself on providing a turnkey integrator service to Myriad group clients’ growing requirements for high end fixed multi-media systems.
“With 28 years’ experience within the audio visual integration market with the last 16 years at Visual Systems, I have seen the business grow year on year – apart from the one year when the financial recession first started and the whole AV industry in the UK slowed,” reflects Ray Sappal technical director, Visual Systems.
“This was a time when contracts received were cancelled overnight, but we rode the wave and came out stronger with no loss of staff or clients,” he states proudly.
“I believe our growth is down to our support network and simply caring for our client’s needs; we listen to their requirements and then design around that and their budget, we don’t believe in over-engineering projects, selling lots of boxes or filling racks with pointless kit, but only spec what is required for the job. This is why we do not stick with the same manufacturers but are always looking for new products and price points to ensure our clients receive the best deals and systems in the market place and are at the forefront of new technology.”
“When I started this group some 40 plus years back I wanted to put together companies in the audio visual industry that complemented each other, which together would provide our clients with a one stop shop answer to their AV requirements,” adds Ashwin Shah, chairman at Myriad Audio Visual Group.
“Well, maybe shop isn’t the correct word, but a place where they have one account manager for all their various projects whatever they may be.”
“This is because all group companies including Creative Staging, Map Multi-Media, Myriad Networks and Visual Systems are now under the same roof at our purpose built 25,000sqft office/warehouse in West London, the communication and synergy between all group companies has improved 100% as you can walk down a corridor or up a flight of stairs to discuss any possible job or opportunity with any division of the group.”
“Our reputation is from past work we have completed as since I have been with the company we have never marketed ourselves or won business through the web or our website – which by the way hasn’t been updated for at least 10 years!” Ray admits.
“This is now long overdue for a complete overhaul as we push into our next phase. I have seen the projects change over the years from 95% corporate/government/hotel and leisure installations when I started to now being 75% corporate/government/hotel and leisure and 25% residential projects as clients embrace new technology both in their work place and at home. I do see the percentages between both sectors being much closer in the future.”
A recent project completed by the experienced team was the Mews house in South Kensington, which underwent a no-expense spared renovation.
The client requested a system that could distribute music and film content around the four-bedroom property where the main living room would also become the home cinema room when required.
The Kensington Mews House is comprised of a ground floor kitchen and dining room with a pantry cloakroom in the main lobby area. Behind this lies the main equipment rack, located in a space just under the stairs.
The main equipment rack has a cabling infrastructure that runs to all rooms on the ground floor and first for network, HDBaseT video, speaker and control.
The music system specified for this project was Sonos, while the movie server is an Outclass rack mount server with 8Tb storage initially. Playback of the movie server is facilitated by the use of Dune players for the rooms required.
Control of this property is managed through an RTI control system with handheld Zigbee remote control in all rooms, with two iPads for mobile operation.
“The advantage of RTI control allows the owners to control a centralised SKY HD receiver, local Apple TV, centralised Outclass movie server, centralised Blu-ray player, Sonos amplifier and
“Switching of all input sources is done through an Atlona AT-PRO3HD 6×6 HDBaseT matrix switcher located in the main equipment rack, which is linked to each of the six TV displays located around the property. All Samsung TV displays are wall-mounted using Sanus full motion and fixed tilt wall brackets ranging from 32in displays up to 75in for the main living room/cinema room,” he furthers. Each TV display is equipped with a local Apple TV unit fixed to the rear of the TV display for airplay applications. A local Chromecast unit is fixed to the rear of the TV display for Android use, while the Atlona matrix HDBaseT receiver, digital TV signal feed and network connection are used for the smart TV side. Moving on to the kitchen and dining room, these feature wall-mounted 40in Samsung Smart 9000 series TVs and two B&W ceiling speakers for music playback, controlled via an iPad or wall mounted Apple iTouch locked to the Sonos App in a Black Glass Inno in-wall mount. Meanwhile the living room/cinema room area boasts a 75in Samsung 9000 TV display, a 5.1 Sonos surround system using two B&W ceiling speakers for the rear effects channel and Sonos amp, while a Sonos Sub and sound bar act as the left, centre and right speakers and bass. The system is controlled locally via an RTI T2-Cs+ remote control or via an Apple iPad. Not forgetting the nursery on first floor, which is equipped with a pair of B&W ceiling speakers controlled by an iPad, whilst the nanny’s bedroom is equipped with a 32in Samsung Smart wall-mounted TV. The guest bedroom has also been completely kitted out, featuring a 40in Samsung Smart TV wall-mounted with local Apple TV Chromecast units mounted on the rear along with an Atlona receiver. A pair of B&W ceiling mounted speakers controlled via an RTI T2 Cs+ remote are also included in the room, as is a Local Apple TV unit mounted on the rear of the TV display, with a Chromecast unit also mounted on the rear of the TV. The master bedroom features a 55in Samsung Smart 9000 Series TV mounted onto a Sanus cantilever wall bracket and the TV has a local Apple TV with Chromecast units fitted to the rear along with an Atlona receiver. B&W wall speakers also feature in this space, which provide sound for the Sonos system, again controlled via an RTI T2-Cs+ remote control or via an Apple iPad. The movie server Dune players provide content to the living room/cinema room, the kitchen/dining room, as well as the master bedroom and guest bedroom TV displays. Security was also taken into account; the home’s CCTV system consists of two external and two internal Samsung cameras connected to a DVR recorder, enabling the client to log in externally and view all cameras via the web or smart phone. Internal cameras are located in the main lobby covering the entrance area and living room, while external units cover the front and side elevation of the property. “The hardest thing is to keep a client totally happy and this is really a testament to my staff, some of whom have been with us for over 30 years – who always go beyond to ensure our clients are happy,” says Ashwin. Read on for the main rack kit list Atlona 6×6 HDBaseT Matrix
“I’m not going to lie; not every job goes to plan but we always seem to pull the rabbit out of the hat and that is all down to my staff, without whom we wouldn’t be where we are,” he concludes. “Client retention is key to any business and we are very good at doing this.”Main Rack Kit List
OutClass Movie Server
Four Dune HD Base 3D Player
Six Sonos Amplifiers
Network Switch
SKY HD receiver
Samsung Blu-Ray Player
RTI XP-6 Processor