Veritais, the top audio-visual / IT integrator, has recently completed a sophisticated installation on board the 43 m sailing yacht Koo (ex ‘Vent D’est’). Luxury superyacht Koo has been designed by acclaimed Dubois and constructed at the respected Dutch yard, Vitters.

43 m Vitters superyacht Koo

The owner required not only a fully integrated, ship-wide AV system including an outdoor cinema, but also on board Wi-Fi and lighting control.

The overall installation is comprised of eight independent zones; each controlled using a Control4, seven-inch tablet or an alternative ‘hard-button’ remote. Each zone also has an HD media player that interfaces with the on board music and movie collections held on the central server as well as with standalone disc players, speakers and other accessories. HD TV screens are standard throughout, with the saloon and master suite having 55-inch, frameless HD 3D screens.

While much of the previous AV system was removed and discarded, Veritais recommended the retention of a number of existing components, including some Bose 5.1 audio systems and disc players. Veritais also incorporated a number of additional features that both enhance the entertainment options and illustrate the increasing convergence between AV and IT.

Perhaps the star item is the on-deck cinema that allows the owner and his guests to enjoy open-air movies. Here Veritais installed an Epson full 3D projector with a clamping system that makes the equipment quick and easy to set up and stow. The choice of both rear and front projection screens allows movies to be viewed from either the rear deck or from within the cockpit, making the overall space more flexible in terms of entertainment options.

Another nice touch is the ‘disc ripper’ media server that Veritais recommended and fitted. Loading content from discs onto a central server can be a tedious and time consuming process for the crew, but this component avoids that via a one-touch operating system that automatically identifies the type of disc inserted and then converts and files the content without any further user input required.

Also installed were Wi-Fi and lighting control, the latter designed in association with Savage Lighting. Fitted in the saloon, cockpit and owner’s cabin, the management of the RGB LED lighting is via the same Control4 wireless tablets used for the AV. As well as including full control of colour and intensity, the lighting software also allows the set-up of lighting scenes and even automatic changes when certain commands are sent to the AV system. For example, when the ’play movie’ button is pressed the lights automatically dim, and then come back up on ‘pause’ or ‘stop’.

The Managed Wi-Fi System provides six wireless access points for full coverage below and on deck, linked to a Digital Yacht modem providing access to shore-based services and hotspots.

“Thanks to Veritais the installation was relatively painless, with the project finishing on the agreed date and to the original specification,” said Mark Critchley, Engineer on S/Y Koo. “They were able to integrate the old system into the new one, allowing us to keep various pieces of hardware that would have been difficult to replace in the sort period of time that we gave Veritais to complete the work. Once the installation was complete the commissioning and setup were conducted in a very professional and efficient manner with the online and telephone support being well run. The yacht owners and crew are very happy with the operating system, which is easy to use. I have no problem recommending Veritais to any yacht looking at upgrading their AV system.”

“This is a first-class system that will be able to adapt to emerging technologies for years to come,” added Veritais MD David Milner. “While control via iPad remains very popular, Control4 runs it a close second with many owners already using the equipment and interface in their homes and we are happy to provide that continuity for when they are afloat.  Lighting control is also becoming ever more popular as LED offers so much more choice when it comes to variable light schemes.”