introduction
Owning a recreational vehicle (RV) is one way to create a home away from home. Anderson Mobile Estates, a group known for its luxurious RVs, is currently building the world's largest RV in Montreal, Canada. This three-story mobile home features a first floor with four slide-outs, a telescoping second story, and a third floor that opens to a rooftop deck with extended guard rails when in use.
the challenge
Adding AV to a stable home is done frequently, but adding wheels to take that on the road with an intelligent mobile home brings new challenges. The wiring and cables had to be flexible to withstand the expansions and closures of the slide-outs on the first floor and extension of the second floor. The RV also needed a system that could be remotely managed, as supporting the motorhome during its travels would be difficult.
the solution
Gould Sound & Light was brought in as the integrator on this massive RV project to design, install, and furnish the RV with technology. Jon Gould, owner of Gould Sound & Light, chose Crestron, as it provides an end-to-end solution that would allow Crestron Service Provider, Programmation Claude Raymond (PCR), to program the system to fit every need of this project.
the technology
On the road, this RV looks like a normal vehicle, but when parked at night, it morphs into a three-story home. When you first enter the RV, there is a large slide-out section that features the kitchen and living room. The kitchen includes a fridge, stovetop, microwave, and coffee bar. The first level’s second slide-out has two bunk beds on each side. A custom Crestron system controls the entire RV and was selected to ensure that all the needed technology was incorporated. Crestron controls the lighting, shading, audio, and video distribution, as well as two zones of HVAC, the doors, the main floor waterfall, and intercoms. At the front of the semi-truck, the driver can flip a switch to turn the system on or off when needed. When the RV is in motion, it is unable to be occupied and certain AV functionality cannot be turned on for safety on the road.
The RV has 28 Horizon® keypads, five touch screens, 14 Crestron shades, and two Horizon® thermostats for maximum control. To create some uniformity within the mobile home, Gould Sound & Light decided to feature a standard user interface on the Horizon keypads. The top button turns on the lights; the bottom button turns off the lights, and the middle buttons are for custom “good night” and “good morning” scenes for the owners. The Crestron system is fully integrated with security camers, and the touch screens are programmed to show live feeds.
On the second floor is the primary suite, which includes a full bathroom and walk-in closet. Crestron touch screens are located in the bedrooms, allowing the homeowners to control their environment, access the security feeds, and communicate with the exterior doors and other guests.
Crestron DM NVX® AV-over-IP technology distributes video throughout the mobile home. There are eight screens, and 80-inch front cinema system, and three additional cinema systems, all controlled by DM NVX technology. The RV also contains a small home theater with custom seating and a fiber optic ceiling, allowing the family to watch a film on the 70-inch mounted screen in full comfort. The family can also access the Crestron system via tablets when the RV is compressed on the road, as it was important to be able to remotely control the RV if needed.
the results
With Crestron solutions in place, everything from the lights and shades to locks and camera is within reach on multiple interfaces. Gould Sound & Light was able to use a custom Crestron system to not only sustain life on the road but also be a traveler’s dream home.
