Key Articles
Stardraw.com Appoints Joel Schwartz BDM
We are delighted to announce the appointment of Joel Schwartz as Business Development Manager for North America. Joel
joins Stardraw.com with 30 years experience in IT, consumer electronics, custom installation, commercial audio-visual and
healthcare industries.
"I have had a great informal relationship with Stardraw.com for several years," explains Schwartz, "and have enjoyed
being something of a sounding-board for strategic planning. As Stardraw.com has accelerated their growth into new markets
using cutting-edge technologies, the opportunity to cement that relationship was just too good to miss."
Schwartz's career began as a programmer and systems analyst in the days of punch-card computing. Since then he has
held senior positions with well-known organizations including Harman International and Mordaunt-Short, and sat for four
years on the CES Advisory Committee for High End Audio. In a break from the pro-AV world he was founder and Executive
Director of a multiple-location Home Health Care company in New York and was Vice Chairperson of the New York State
Association of Health Care Providers for five years. Most recently Schwartz has provided consultancy services to
manufacturers and systems integrators both within and outside of the audio-visual industries.
His new role at Stardraw.com will involve the creation of new commercial opportunities in existing and new markets,
both for Stardraw.com's off-the-shelf software applications and OEM software development projects. Schwartz continues,
"I see tremendous potential in the convergence of diverse systems using the sort of software platforms that Stardraw.com
can deliver. In everything from streamlining business processes, through system control and monitoring, to the creation
of entirely new ways of adding value and generating revenues; the opportunities are almost endless – it's a very exciting
time."
David Snipp, founder and CEO of Stardraw.com, adds, "We first met Joel when he was consulting for one of our OEM clients
and it was clear from the start that this was a very smart, insightful and like-minded individual. It's been great to
bounce ideas off him, so I'm absolutely delighted that he's now a fully-fledged member of the Stardraw.com team, bringing
with him his considerable experience and energy. And he's a nice guy to work with, too."
Design Applications for x64 Platforms
 All
Stardraw design applications, namely the award-winning Stardraw AV 2007, AV Lite 2007,
Audio 2007 and Lighting 2D 2007 can now be installed on and take advantage of the
new generation of computers employing Intel and AMD processors with 64-bit architecture. Previously it was impossible to run
Stardraw design applications on x64 platforms, but now all Windows
operating systems designed for the architecture, including XP Pro
x64, Vista 64-bit editions and Windows Server 2003 and 2008 x64
editions, are supported.
Key advantages of 64-bit platforms center on extended addressing capabilities. In terms of RAM this
means that you can use up to 128GB RAM on XP/Vista systems or 1TB
RAM on Windows Server systems as opposed to the 2GB default maximum
for 32 bit systems. Additionally, x64 gives you the ability to
use up to 8TB virtual memory, again up from a maximum of 2GB
virtual memory for 32 bit systems.
Users of x64 operating systems can install the Stardraw applications of their choice by following
the link below:
More Updates for Design Applications
The Stardraw.com development team has been hard at work in recent months making significant platform changes
to all our design applications.
New Synchronize Manufacturers process - the browser-based Synchronize Manufacturers
process, by which users' Offline Libraries were updated with new
symbols data, has been replaced with a new process that runs locally
and exploits web services to download new product and symbol data
for installations of Stardraw AV 2007, Stardraw AV Lite 2007 and
Stardraw Audio 2007. In these applications the Options menu
now includes a new command "Synchronize Offline Libraries" that
allows you to select and synchronize the manufacturer libraries that
interest you. The main advantages of this update are:
- A separate local process: Synchronize Offline Libraries is a
process that runs in the background, seamlessly updating the
Offline Libraries database while you continue working in the
main Stardraw application.
- Browser-agnostic: the new, self-contained process does not
run in a web browser but instead communicates directly with
Stardraw.com's online repository of product and symbol data.
This means it is not dependent on or hampered by the features,
exclusions or security settings of any particular web browser.
- Improved user interface: it's now much easier to select and
update all of the manufacturer libraries you want, and dual
status bars clearly and accurately show how far through the
Synchronization process you are.
- Improved workflow: when your Stardraw application starts up
Synchronize Offline Libraries checks to see whether this would
be a good time to Synchronize, for instance, if you have not
previously built your Offline Libraries.
- Support for non-administrators: even users without
administrative privilege can update their Libraries without
calling in IT specialists.
- Greatly improved performance: synchronization speeds are now
as much as 5 times faster and far more reliable and robust with the ability
to handle connection glitches and hiccups that is far superior to the old
browser-based utility.
New Stardraw Updater utility - the old browser-based LiveUpdate
process has been replaced with a new local utility that runs
automatically, checking for application updates whenever your
Stardraw application starts up and installing them seamlessly, in
seconds. This utility also overcomes issues that might be introduced
to the update process due to browser features and security restrictions.
These great features can be installed by all users of 2007 design
applications. A new installation file is available for download and
full details and instructions for use can be found by following the
link below.
Updates for Stardraw Control Applications
 As more and more systems integrators are exploiting Stardraw Control's unique approach to
control system programming and deployment we are delighted to
announce a number of important enhancements that have been
implemented as a result of feedback from users in the field.
- Support for thousands of actions and conditions:
we are seeing increasingly large and complex projects utilizing
Stardraw Control and users have been pushing the edge of the
envelope in terms of the number of events, actions and
conditions that might feature in a single project.
Stardraw Control has been optimized to cater for many thousands
of actions and conditions which means that now, more than ever,
the only limit on a Stardraw Control project is set by your
imagination.
- ScriptHelper support in Client/Server deployments:
ScriptHelper is a class that allows direct access to hardware
devices through Stardraw Control's scripting interface.
This update ensures that scripts bound to Client applications
can access hardware devices connected directly or indirectly to
the Server computer.
- Transfer of Machine Licenses: the
introduction of a Machine Licensing security model has meant
that project deployment has become easier and more flexible.
The ability to transfer Machine Licenses is the final piece of
functionality that completes the featureset, allowing users to
move a license from one computer to another, for example in case
of hardware failure or system upgrades.
- Improved client to server connection UI:
this update improves the end-user experience if, for any reason,
the Client UI application loses connection to the Server
application, for example through the loss of a network
connection or if the server is rebooted. End users are now
informed that the system is awaiting reconnection to the server.
These updates will have already been applied to all installations of the Stardraw
Control authoring application, assuming that users have accepted updates
when prompted at application startup.
Home Automation Showroom Leverages Stardraw Control
 Leading installer,
Automation 4 Ltd., has teamed up with premier UK electronics retailer, Digital Connexions Ltd., to open a brand new fully
interactive home automation showroom in Harrogate. The first of its kind outside London, the showroom is testament to both
companies' pioneering approach to domestic automation technology. At the heart of the installation is Stardraw Control, the
award-winning control application from software providers Stardraw.com.
Indeed, it is the control element of the installation that sets it apart from other showrooms, as it enables hands-on
control of all devices within the system, as well as demonstrating the power and convenience of autonomous functions.
Representative of a real-life installation, the open plan showroom contains a living area, kitchen and dining area where
visitors are able to experience firsthand the seamless integration of the technology within the home environment. A
customized graphical user interface (GUI) offers full control of the high specification audio/visual system, lighting,
window blinds and heating, and visitors are readily invited to try it out for themselves.
"The integration of such a variety of appliances and services into a single user-friendly control system requires an
extremely powerful and versatile control platform", said David Birchall, technical director at Automation 4. "We've
chosen to use Stardraw Control, just as we would in a real-life installation unless otherwise specified. Its open
architecture enables us to control pretty much any device, and if a device driver does not exist for the product, we
can easily create one within the software. Also, the ability to create professional-looking customised user interfaces
ensures that every installation is easily managed by the user, as you choose exactly what you want to see. If you don't
want confusing or excessive functionality cluttering up your GUI, you don't have to have it!"
Unique to the showroom is a four-minute narrated tour, created using sequencing features within Stardraw Control.
During the tour the visitor experiences automatic activation of appliances such as the television, DVD and multi-room
audio system, as well as the implementation of different environment ‘scenes', whereby blinds and lighting are automatically
adjusted. The showroom employs industry standard KNX wiring system to control the heating, lighting, blind and security
systems. Stardraw Control's open architecture approach means that all of these features can be controlled directly by
the user via the GUI. The tour also demonstrates the convenience offered by the automated sequence functionality available
within Stardraw Control.
"A user can text home on the way home from work, activating a sequence that turns the heating on, boils the kettle,
sets the lighting and runs the bath ready for when they return," explains Birchall. "There are also advanced security
features such as simulated occupancy, whereby preset sequences of the lighting and A/V systems are deployed when the
house is vacant, creating an impression that the owner is at home."
In line with the state-of-the-art control technology are the high specification audio-visual systems, specified by the
A/V architects at Digital Connexions Ltd. This includes a discrete 5.1 surround sound solution in the living area, linked
to a FreeSat high definition television. Integrated ceiling speakers in the different zones represent the increasingly
popular multi-room audio systems, which can be accessed via the touchscreen GUIs as well as using dedicated wall-mounted
audio switches. Mark Garrett, Managing Director at Digital Connexions, "Our approach is to design and build solutions that
have tangible benefits to peoples' lives: at the showroom we are able to demonstrate this to a customer who may never have
considered Home Automation was something relevant to them"
See Stardraw at ISE2009 - Free Registration
 In
the sixth year of what is now the premier European trade event for
professional AV systems integrators, distributors and VARs,
Stardraw.com is proud to be exhibiting with our master European
distributor COMM-TEC GmbH on booth #2A54.
This year's ISE will feature more than 500 exhibitors occupying 7
halls at Amsterdam's RAI center and is the must-see event of the
year. Stardraw.com is pleased to offer all readers of this
newsletter the opportunity to register for free, saving €25.
Simply click on the link below and, when asked, enter invitation
code 704309. Please be sure to visit Stardraw.com and COMM-TEC
on booth #2A54 - we'll see you in Amsterdam!
New German Training Dates and Online Presentation
 European
Master Distributor COMM-TEC is offering a program of training courses
to be held at their Uhingen, Germany headquarters. Courses are available both for design/documentation
applications and control applications. They will be delivered in German and take place from March 17th to 20th 2009.
|
Course
|
Date
|
Cost
|
|
Stardraw AV
|
March 17th
|
€300
|
|
Stardraw Control Basics
|
March 19th
|
€300
|
|
Stardraw Control Advanced
|
March 20th
|
€300
|
To reserve your seat please
email stardraw@comm-tec.de. For more details click on the link below.
Also new from COMM-TEC is a German-language presentation of Stardraw AV 2007.
To view the presentation simply follow the link below.
Upcoming Events
|
|
Show: |
ISE |
Venue: |
RAI, Amsterdam, Netherlands |
Dates: |
February 3-5 |
Booth: |
#2A54 |
Symbols Updates
In November the following libraries were updated
in one or more of Stardraw's design/documentation
applications (Stardraw Audio 2007, Stardraw AV 2007 and Stardraw AV Lite 2007). Click
on a manufacturer name to see full details of that library.
To update your Offline Libraries, select Options | Synchronize Offline Libraries in
your Stardraw application.
|
