New ELAN g!TOOLS Dramatically Simplifies System Installation And Management

Reinforcing its commitment to maintain g! as the industry’s easiest-to-use and easiest-to-install entertainment and control system, ELAN® Home Systems today introduced g!Tools, a new software program that provides dealers with a powerful new tool that greatly simplifies ELAN g! system installation and management by organizing all system documents, firmware, installation guides and support software in one place.

In addition, g!Tools allows dealers to store and share one-way IR and serial drivers and also provides a dashboard screen for ELAN dealers to view, monitor and launch into every g! system they manage from one location, whether on the PC at their office or on a job site. This feature allows ELAN dealers to quickly check on multiple g! systems and offers the best access for managing and updating systems, as well as providing on-demand assistance to end users.

According to ELAN Product Manager & Business Development Director Joe Lautner, “The two groups most responsible for ELAN’s continued success are our dealers and end users.  With the addition of g!Tools, we’ve made installation faster and simpler for our dealers and all but eliminated house calls by giving them an easy way to implement any changes the end user wants to make, no matter if the dealer is on the road or at the office.”

ELAN g!Tools provides dealers with a single consistent interface to perform what is required for installation and support of an ELAN system.  It pulls together many of the current g! software tools including:

• g!Connect Pro – To log into systems
• Key Manager - To license apps
• Firmware Updater - To manage upgrading firmware for all ELAN hardware products
• IR/Serial Driver Library – To manage and share one-way IR and serial drivers
• Document Manager - To keep all documents updated and on the PC for easy access on the jobsite
• Language Editor - To manage and edit translations
• Network Manager - To scan the local network directly for other controllers and IP devices, eliminating the need for a separate port scanner

The new My Systems View allows dealers to more easily organize and manage multiple systems and provides data such as firmware version and IP address.

ELAN today also announced the introduction of its ELAN g!Mobile 5.5 Software, now available on the iTunes App Store.  This and other user interface enhancements bring the graphical user interface of all g! interface devices closer to each other than any other control system on the market.  It adds support for the g! irrigation and messaging apps and makes the g!Mobile iOS interface nearly identical to that of the ELAN TS touch screens.  Additional features new to the g!Mobile app include support for managing two displays in one zone and control for a home bar with multiple displays.

“ELAN g! now features the most consistent user interface of any entertainment and control system in the world,” said Lautner. “That means our end users don’t need to be familiar with more than one interface layout and it virtually eliminates any learning curve when first living with a g! system.  Managing an entertainment and control system should be easy for both the dealer and the end user, and that’s what ELAN g! is all about.”

ELAN has also updated the software for its HR2 handheld remote to provide control for two displays in one zone.

The ELAN g! Entertainment and Control System provides users with the most uniform and intuitive icon-based control from their favorite devices including TVs, touch screens, touchpads, PCs, iPhones and iPads. The standardized interface works across platforms, so that the trendy g!Mobile app users love on the iPhone appears and works similarly on ELAN touchscreens, valets and handheld remotes as well as users' televisions and mobile devices. And the system's IP backbone makes it just as easy to control the system from across the room - or across the globe.

Individual "apps" for each subsystem allow the user to control security, climate, lighting, media, irrigation, pool/spa, messaging, video and photos with the flick of a finger. Access is fast and secure through any ELAN home interface or globally with mobile Internet enabled devices like the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, netbooks and PC tablets. Since the intuitive interface empowers users with personalized scheduling and detailed history views, high consumption subsystems like lighting and climate can be closely monitored and managed for a greener lifestyle - and substantial energy savings.

About ELAN Home Systems:

Since 1990 ELAN® Home Systems has been an industry leading manufacturer of innovative, award-winning Multi-Room audio/video systems. ELAN systems were the first to integrate audio, video, phones and third-party products to create a seamless, easy-to-use "whole house" solution. ELAN systems and products are distributed through a comprehensive channel of select Dealers and Distributors throughout the United States, Canada and more than 58 countries worldwide. ELAN Home Systems is part of The AVC Group.  To learn more, visit www.elanhomesystems.com.

About The AVC Group, LLC:

Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, The AVC Group, LLC is a portfolio of pre-eminent manufacturers and marketers of state-of-the-art consumer and commercial audio, video, and control system solutions.  The AVC Group is comprised of the following industry leading brands: Niles®, ELAN® Home Systems, Xantech®, ATON® and Sunfire®. The AVC Group, LLC is a subsidiary of Nortek, Inc.’s Home Technology Group.