SUCCESS STORY

AMX Delivers “Instant-On” Home

Automation
AMX®, a subsidiary of Duchossois Industries, Inc., is a worldwide leader in
advanced control system technology. The company’s hardware and software By using the open ZigBee
products simplify the way people interact with technology in commercial and standard, more home auto-
residential markets.
mation products will be
AMX recently launched two ZigBee®–enabled handheld remote controls and a available to consumers and
ZigBee gateway and repeater to simplify installation and use of home automa- can interoperate with AMX
tion in pre-existing and new construction homes. and other home control
systems.
The new ZigBee–enabled line of wireless home control products opens the A wide variety of products
existing home market, representing 99 percent of all U.S. homes, to AMX.
increases consumer aware-
Previously, AMX’s wired home control products primarily targeted new
homes, which represent about 1 percent of U.S. homes, and have comprised
ness of home automation
approximately 20 percent of AMX sales. and drives more business to
AMX and its supply chain.
Mio Modero R–3 and R–4
Mio Modero® R–3 and R–4 Handheld Remotes and NetLinx® ZigBee Gateway
BUSINESS GOALS
and Repeater are AMX’s first devices in the new ZigBee–enabled product line.
The Mio R–3 is a ZigBee version of the popular Mio R–2 remote control with a AMX hardware and software
solutions simplify the way people
monochromatic LCD screen, while the Mio R–4 features a new 2.4–inch color interact with technology. AMX
LCD touch display with AMX’s G4 graphics engine. provides homeowners with a
single system approach to
The Mio R–4 is their first device to combine the features and functionality of a managing a wide variety of
touch panel in a handheld remote. Both support two–way communication on home electronics.
the ZigBee network, enabling the remotes to control a virtually unlimited
number of devices. The Mio R–4’s color display indicates feedback on device
status, from room temperature and lighting levels to the song title and artist
playing on the AMX MAX Multimedia Server. The ZigBee–enabled remotes
can be used in integrated environments worldwide and support all Unicode
Standard character fonts and languages, plus keypads can be purchased in
English, Spanish, French, Italian, Chinese, Mandarin and Arabic.

The ZigBee Solution

Wireless home automation opens AMX’s residential market opportunity to the
more than 120 million existing U.S. homes. Wireless solutions do not require
expensive retrofitted wiring so they are not constrained to new construction
and high–end homes like wired solutions.

AMX’s instant–on requirement necessitated ZigBee technology. The Mio

Modero remote controls “wake up” by touch, tilt or push button and can com-
municate immediately with the devices on the ZigBee network.

AMX considered other technologies but competing technologies included

execution delays and shortened battery life. With ZigBee, an 802.15.4 technol-
ogy, the remote awakens and connects instantly with the ZigBee network.
 Battery life is extended with the ZigBee remote controls since they only BENEFITS
consume power when needed. So the ZigBee remote controls last two weeks Power-efficient
between charges (one week for the Mio R–4 color LCD display). ZigBee tech- Reliable
nology makes the wireless remote controls practical and convenient for AMX
Low cost
consumers.
Easy to deploy
Finally, the ZigBee mesh network is reliable and suitable for previously difficult No new wires
residential installations in multi–dwelling units (MDUs) like condominium and
apartment complexes.

The ZigBee–enabled gateway and repeater provides guaranteed wireless

coverage without dead spots. One NXR–ZGW NetLinx ZigBee Gateway man-
ages the entire network and can support lots of ZigBee–enabled devices with
limited interference issues, making it ideal for large, single–family homes or
MDUs, which can be difficult for other wireless technologies.

The NXR–ZRP NetLinx ZigBee Repeater works with the gateway to extend the
mesh network as needed.

With ZigBee, more products will be available to consumers and make more
people aware of home automation, which can drive more business to AMX
and its supply chain.

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