URC Total Control Now Integrates with Ethereal’s Big Dog Power

URC’s control system for resimercial dealers works with power protection, monitoring of Big Dog Power Smart Power Distribution Unit & other models.

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URC, the Holly Hill, Fla.-based provider of automation and control for residential and commercial applications, and Ethereal, a company delivering custom integration solutions, have announced the launch of an integration with Big Dog Power. Commercial and residential customers can now enjoy a myriad of benefits having these technologies work seamlessly together across power monitoring and protection services with connected devices from URC’s Total Control.

The Big Dog Power Smart Power Distribution Unit and other models in the new brand from Ethereal were introduced last year to commercial integrators at InfoComm 2022 and to residential dealers at CEDIA Expo in Dallas.

As Ethereal, which recently underwent a rebranding from MetraAV, comments, the Big Dog Power Smart PDU combines all the features integrators need into one device to deliver surge protection, remote control, smart home integration, rack temperature management and more. Twelve individually controllable outlets have power metering, self-healing and automatic reboot capabilities for smarter and easier remote management of connected devices. When surges occur, two removable surge protection modules can be replaced without sacrificing the entire PDU, making this solution unique and cost-effective.

“The PR-R13PI Smart Outlet is unlike any other PDU on the market. It’s included surge mileage meter that shows the percentage of remaining protection makes it possible for integrators to know exactly how much surge protection they have remaining, giving them the power to be proactive,” says Ethereal’s product manager, Adam Rogers.

URC, Big Dog Power Integration Facilitates Efficiency, Security

Integrating across Ethereal’s Big Dog Power product line, URC products can now automate environments with greater power efficiency and security, Ethereal notes.

In practice, the end user can use URC’s Total Control to switch on, switch off or reboot devices such as media players, streaming boxes or routers, the company adds.

“This next generation of power distribution, efficiency and resiliency integration with Big Dog Power ensures that our dealers can easily install more secure smart systems with premium security and excellent power monitoring and adjustment quality,” says Lars Granoe, URC’s VP product development.

Advanced benefits of this new URC integration, according to the companies, include:

  • Unified Operation – Big Dog Power devices operate within the Total Control system for easy and secure control and automation.
  • Ease of Set-up – Setting up the system is easy with expert integration which is intuitively designed to enable professional installation from one of URC’s certified dealers.
  • Secure Dealer Access –Within a secure environment, the integration allows URC dealers remote access (with end user approval) to trouble-shoot, monitor or adjust.
  • Monitor Power Efficiency –Integrated energy meters in the IP power switches allow for precise measurement of power consumption and enable the exploitation of energy saving potentials. The result:  lower electricity costs and increased sustainability. Capabilities include viewing each outlet’s power status, rebooting specific outlets and turning equipment on or off.
  • Power System Resiliency – Power-cycling (reboot) of connected devices helps applications to get back on their feet. This can be accomplished either automatically via monitoring routines or by remote access via URC’s Total Control.

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site CEPro on February 17, 2023. It has since been updated for Commercial Integrator’s audience.

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