ELAN from Core Brands has unveiled its award-winning new software to the European market at ISE 2017. Available now, ELAN 8 adds a new user interface, voice control of all event maps via Amazon Echo, a new integration with the Denon Heos wireless sound system, and powerful new user-managed features.

Last month at CES 2017, the comprehensive new software was named the “Human Interface Product of the Year” at the Consumer Technology Association’s Mark of Excellence Award Ceremony. It is now on display at ISE 2017 in Core Brands Stand 1-N53 in the RAI Convention Center in Amsterdam.

“The ELAN 8 software update allows custom installers to integrate more devices into the system than ever before,” said Tom McKeon, Core Brands Software Product Manager.

“As the connected home market expands, so too does ELAN’s capability to control residential projects of all sizes and complexities. This new software reinforces the fact that ELAN is, and will continue to be, the most intuitive control hub for any smart home.”

With the new ELAN 8, custom installers can now integrate voice control through the Amazon Echo to access ELAN’s common control functions. Already established in the US market, Alexa is now rolling out across Europe.

“Voice control through Alexa gives users one more intuitive way to interface with their ELAN system,” explained McKeon.

“And of course, this functionality can be used to update existing systems as well as new installations.”

Further personalizing the ELAN experience for the customer, the ELAN 8 software includes a new calendar feature that enables the integration of Microsoft Outlook, Google Gmail and Apple iCal into the ELAN calendar module. “The new software helps integrate more of the homeowners’ information onto the platform, making it more convenient than ever,” McKeon emphasized.

The updated ELAN software includes enhanced security functionality with a new dynamic video transcoding feature that enables ELAN to pull high bitrate video from popular cameras and door stations, and dynamically transcode those videos in real-time. This ensures that the video footage delivered to the customer is of the highest quality, and that it’s reliably delivered to mobile clients and other touch points.

“Security is an essential element in the connected home, so we’ve worked to make video monitoring even more comprehensive,” McKeon added. “In addition to the new high bitrate video transcoding, ELAN’s new virtual TV monitor feature enables the routing of encoded video directly to an ELAN gTP4, gTP7 or gXP12 touch panel. Additionally, a new ‘door control node’ feature allows homeowners to activate their garage door and receive the status directly on their devices.”

According to McKeon, the ELAN 8 software update makes some significant enhancements to the already user-friendly interface. The update includes an all-new media tab and streaming interface (which includes a new “zone” sleep timer function), new slider controls, hundreds of new sub-system icons as well as a new custom tabs option being built into the platform. It also allows installers – and even users – to quickly group zones ‘on the fly’ and toggle between standard zone view and grouping snapshot when needed. Integrators will also enjoy the all-new Auriel Streaming Access, which allows them to easily locate the embedded streaming services on an Auriel audio chassis connected to an ELAN system.

ELAN 8’s new channel guide and TV favorites interface, where end users can manage their own channel favorites, provide installers and end-users alike more of the flexible elegance they have come to expect from ELAN.