Total cost of ownership is a discussion point between all boat owners, but even more so for owners of superyachts. On one hand you want to stay up to date with the latest and greatest technology. On the other hand, ever-changing standards and requirements often call for new investments. However, these costs can be cut by choosing a company that offers free firmware updates or new functionalities for its contemporary, best in class technology and solutions for the modern luxury superyacht. Like Crestron does.
There is always a lot of talk about new technologies that become available. They allow us to do more, make things easier, give us better images and sound, and thus better experiences. And as we all know that a superyacht is the ultimate experience, we have to make sure that all technology onboard especially is up to date. This applies to all electrical systems on board, from lighting to shades to the crew call buttons. But the part where the developments happen the quickest is the audiovisual part. Over the past couple of years, we have seen major improvements in both quality and possibilities, and the AV industry is determined to evolve even further.
The right technology can assist you to control the whole vessel the way you want to, making your experience onboard more pleasant, easier, more relaxing. Basically, you want to feel like the vessel predicts what you want to do, watch or listen, and where. Of course, the crew plays a major part in this, but as an owner, you want to have control over your own installation and handle it the way you want to. These past years, we have seen a rise in the operating level of technology making life easier, for instance, voice command and Bluetooth beacons to accurately position you in the room you want to control when you open the app.
As a customer, you might wonder how a company stays on top of new and coming technologies. How do they decide what to focus on, what to implement? The trick is to keep your finger on the pulse of developments and expectations. An excellent example is the relationship Crestron has with leading chip developer Intel. More than any other part of the technology, chipsets determine what the next generation of technology is capable of. By being involved from the very start, Crestron can stay ahead of what is to come. Because Crestron is not only active in the marine space, but also in homes, offices, hotels and hospitals around the world, they have the scale to get exclusive insights into the roadmaps from the leading global chip development companies. Simply said: in this case, size does matter.
Crestron DM NVX is the result of an extensive collaboration with Intel. DM NVX-units are an essential part of Crestron AV distribution systems on board of superyachts, equipped with specifically developed Intel chips that not only have enough horsepower for today, but also for tomorrow. And as soon as Intel makes changes, Crestron has free firmware updates ready to keep your system on board fully up to date. No refit needed, not even yard time needed. Just your Captain or ETO loading the latest files into the system while you are off exploring the surroundings or enjoying a beautiful village on the coast.
That is an extra advantage of working with an established, experienced company. They are used to making long term decisions and taking the future into account when designing. For instance, when they release a new update, Crestron always considers the current install base and makes the hardware backwards compatible. That is why yacht owners that picked a Crestron control processor have been able to use them for over ten years now, and why the original DM frames that were launched in 2008, when full HD was the video standard, can still be used today. Exactly the same frame now easily runs the current UHD video standard with HDR.
Combine that with a reliability that is unprecedented, and a specific global marine department focused on the needs of this space, and you understand why Crestron is the supplier of choice for superyacht technology.
More information: https://www.crestron.com/Marine
This article and many more are available to read online in the Superyacht Technology Blueprint here.
