DesignShowcase: That's Entertainment
Mark T. Masciarotte
11/01/2005

Remember Dick Tracy? The guy with the two-way wrist radio? Not too long ago the square-jawed detective’s handy device was as much a thing of science fiction as flights to outer space. That was then… this is now: Outer space is littered with satellites that shower us with uninterrupted audio and video entertainment on demand. What once was high end—having television and VCR in each salon and stateroom—has gone the way of the two-way wrist radio. Today, owners of yachts large and small enjoy choices that only a decade ago would have been dismissed as science fiction.

Flat screens, such as the one in S/Y Psyrax and projection TV have revolutionized yachting’s home theater experience. (Click image to enlarge)
 
Current rack-based entertainment systems owe their existence to the incredible rise in microprocessor speeds and the equally impressive decline in the cost of high-capacity storage. Where less than a year ago most storage devices were routinely measured in megabytes, systems today are employing devices in the terabyte category (1,024 gigabytes) with transfer speeds—via fiber optics—of up to 30 gigabytes per second. (Each gigabyte is equal to 1,024 megabytes.)

Memory capacity is important not only for the number of movies or songs it allows the system to store, it is essential for fidelity. Sean Riordan of Intelect Integrated Electronics reminds clients that non-compressed files yield better fidelity in audio and video, and thereby, richer listening or viewing experiences.

However, great storage requires equally robust ways to deliver entertainment to speakers or screen. The way a person chooses a song or a video, and when and how to play it, is called a “user interface.” A simple and easy-to-use user interface hides complex, behind-the-scenes workings. Those can take time from the moment a button is pressed, to the moment a song or video starts—a delay that can be very annoying. However, today, even the most complex systems are easier to run, according to Steve Segall. The president of A/V Concepts and Design in Redmond, Washington, Segall has worked on theaters, recording studios and video-editing suites on some of the world’s largest yachts. “Eight or nine years ago, Méduse needed a full-time A/V technician aboard. That’s no longer necessary.”Creating user interfaces that are both easy to use and quick remains an issue. Segall cautions that “high ticket means high expectation.” A complaint frequently heard from yacht owners—particularly those who dislike electronic gizmos—is that they are frustrated by the remote controls for their entertainment systems. One such owner threw a pair of costly Crestron units overboard in exasperation.

A touchscreen monitor at bedside controls all of the ambiance elements, such as lights, as well as entertainment electronics on the sailing yacht Helios, top. The Kaliedescape cinema interface, top right, simplifies movie selection by showing DVD cover art. Meridian’s "black boxes," lower right, complement décor. (Click image to enlarge)

“User interfaces are getting easier,” observes Segall. “The target reaction time is sub-second. If it takes a second or longer, a human wants to press a button. You can have faster times with wired systems, but everyone wants wireless. We need to teach crew that the equipment is not broken or slow.”

For small boats, where space is always at a premium, simplicity is crucial. Tim Alls is the president of Aleutian Yachts, based in Tacoma, Washington. Then not building husky, bluewater trawler yachts, Alls, who once worked in the high-end A/V business, develops electronic controls for his company’s vessels. Among the latest is one that simplifies command of the entertainment system, the Aleutian Media Center. It runs with Microsoft’s XP Media Center software and uses off-the-shelf components. Alls has written code that allows the system to work on standard touch-screen monitors, and small standalone PCs that he calls “bricks.” “People love its simplicity. The support is worldwide. It allows you to get around the differences in video formats. Of course, the downside of this system,” he says with a grin, “is that it’s Microsoft-based, so at some point, it will have to be rebooted.”

Tony Fleming’s 55- to 75-foot boats have even less A/V space, which is why he has opted for wireless video. Fleming’s choice is a new, water-resistant, flat-panel Sony video display that can be put anywhere, without cable to the entertainment system. The Location Free sets—which use touch screens—receive their signal from a remote, wireless transmitter that is similar, in principle, to ones used for Internet Wi-Fi. The transmitter, with Sony’s new “firmware” (instructions), is less likely to be interrupted by signals from other electronic equipment. Antenna inputs, DVD players and VCRs can be connected to the transmitter. Sharp Electronics also offers a wireless version of its well-known Aquos line.For boats with more space, James Wood of UK-based Advanced New Technologies notes that Digital Light Processing, which uses millions of tiny, spinning mirrors to deliver moving images to a screen, is the finest projection system. “Models such as the Sim2 HT-300E Link and the Sharp XVZ-12000 provide very high-quality color, resolution and sharpness. High-quality, motorized screens by Stewart and Projecta are crisp and bright, and offer the added benefit of hiding in the ceiling when not in use. Screens can be up to 13 feet wide,” Wood says.

 

Delta Marine’s Aries, top left, designed by JQB was one of the first U.S.-built yachts to take advantage of flat-screen technology. Today, fidelity in audio and video production is the name of the game. Miniturization of digital components and visual appeal add excitement to a yacht owner’s component selection process. (Click image to enlarge)

A system that Riordan and the others recommend for DVD storage and distribution is manufactured by Kaleidescape. Not only does it have elegant architecture and stunning good looks, its leading-edge operating system allows users to choose movies by cover art, as well as by title, cast, director or other criteria. Segall explains, “What makes it the best product is the software; these guys have it nailed down. It takes only two or three seconds to begin play.”

What does an A/V whiz with an unlimited budget pine for? Speed. But, notes Wood, compatibility is a much-debated subject. Segall says he would love to see a single video format standard, “instead of separate standards for American and Japanese, European and others, so that racks could be smaller.” He looks forward to new devices that will use very fast fiber-optics.

“You always have a choice between bleeding edge and leading edge. Very rarely do I use bleeding edge, unless the equipment is from the client’s company, in which case, we’ll do the best we can."