Vitrea brings a ‘touch of glass’ to A/NZ
The Australian lighting control industry has long been dominated by two companies. Now, a new competitor spruiking glass faceplates and minimalist design is attempting to break into the market. Jacob Harris explains.
The importance of a keypad to the overall usability and aesthetic appeal of a control system can be easily underestimated, even though it is often the end user’s primary command interface. And while it is often assumed that the keypad supplied by the control system provider is the only available option, this is no longer the reality.
Melbourne based distributer Convergent Technologies was responsible for the establishment of brands like Crestron, Control4 and Lutron on Australian shores. The company’s latest focus is the VTouch range of glass-fronted smart electric switches from the Israeli company Vitrea.
ADVERTISEMENT
VTouch keypads are designed as add-on products to enhance existing control systems. They are compatible with Crestron, RTI, AMX, Clipsal, Philips Dynalite and there’s a dedicated KNX range. The primary point of difference is aesthetic, with the company focussing on how to make the keypads visually appealing, without sacrificing functionality.
“Most of the control systems out there have fairly lacklustre keypads and there’s very little on the market that’s really attractive. Until now, no one’s really done much about the cosmetics of the keypad itself,” says Convergent Technologies director Nick Libertone.
VTouch keypads are made up of a glass faceplate with each button denoted by three illuminated, parallel lines and an additional orange LED indicator that is lit when a switch is ‘on’. They keypads also emit a blue glow around the edges to create a ‘floating’ effect, making them easily locatable in the dark. All brightness settings are adjustable, allowing the user to find the best setting for their specific environment.
The keypads come in a range of configurations with a choice of one, two, three, four, six or eight buttons arranged either vertically or horizontally and because all the glass engraving is done from the rear, the keypad’s face is durable and resistant to wear. They communicate with their communications hub VBOX (either via Category 5 cabling or wirelessly depending on the model), which in turn communicates with the relevant control system via RS-232 or Ethernet with high level intelligence and feedback.
With two mounting options, installers have the ability to mount the units either flush to the wall (using a supplied bracket) or ‘floating’ just in front of it. Most options in the VTouch range are retrofitable and involve a plug-and-play set up once the keypads are in the wall. Although the keypads won’t fit into a standard Australian pre-cast box, Convergent Technologies will be supplying compatible boxes as part of the VTouch package.
The base model is VTouch Classic which is basically an attractive light switch with a dimmer. Then there’s VTouch Plus that offers two-way communication with a control system and some customisation options including setting commands for each button. VTouch KNX is built specifically to integrate with KNX home automation systems. The company’s flagship model is VTouch Pro, a wireless system with internal smart home controllers built into each switch. It requires no external electrical infrastructure, making it the best option for retrofits.
To complement its VTouch keypads, Vitrea has a variety of customisable glass faceplates for an array of applications. This includes doorbells that can be engraved with a family name or company logo, and VSymphony, which is a range of glass clip-on frames for electrical outlets that can be coordinated with VTouch to create a uniform look. All faceplates are highly customisable with Vitrea offering laser engraving and a variety glass colours to suit the individual customer’s requirements.
-
ADVERTISEMENT
-
ADVERTISEMENT
-
ADVERTISEMENT
-
ADVERTISEMENT