Aug 4, 2015 | Home Automation
Joie de Vivre by Brian Schmidt Builder
This August AV Awakenings will be featured in the Street of Dreams with lifestyle automation and luxury entertainment systems showcased in this 5,736 sq. feet, 4 bed, 4.5 bath home. Shades can drop automatically to chase sunrise and sunset, then open again automatically when the sun no longer beats through the windows. Lighting can adjust itself at night for energy savings and security. Music plays throughout the house with convenient control through touchpanels or your tablet or phone. 4K Ultra HDTVs with all the cable boxes and other equipment tucked into a rack under the stairs on the lower floor. No need to run all over the house to turn off lights, the system can be controlled from the same touchpanels or from backlit, engraved keypads. Room to room intercom, monitored security system, security cameras and front doorbell also integrated for safety and convenience. And more…
- 5.1 surround sound system in rec room with 75″ 4K TV and 4K Blu-ray player
- 12 rooms of music with acoustically matched speakers
- 7 rooms of 4K Ultra HDTV utilizing a Crestron Digital Media system
- 3 Crestron touch screens, two in-wall and one on-countertop
- Crestron lighting system – reduce wall clutter and enjoy greater control over lighting
- Crestron motorized shades
- Fireplace control – on, off, and flame raise/lower
- Outdoor living space heater control
- Sport Court music, blends into the landscaping
- Cameras with touch screen, iPhone/iPad viewing
- Doorbell at front door that rings through the panels and keypads
- Security system – monitor/arm/disarm from your phone anywhere in the world
Interested in going to the show?
Or contact us for a private tour.
Mar 12, 2015 | Control Systems, Crestron, Home Automation
Ultimate Convenience
Worried about your kids losing house keys? Afraid you’ll get locked out of the house? Have neighbors or in-laws who you ask to watch over your house while you’re gone? Crestron now offers controllable electronic door locks from Yale, Schlage and Baldwin, most of which can match existing door lock and handle hardware that you already have in your home.
You can program in a code for you and the kids to use daily or neighbors that only works while you’re away, keeps you from giving copies of your house key. Or locking yourself out…
The locks can be operated by punching in a four-digit code. Not only does it unlock the door, but if you have a Crestron system in the house already, the door unlock code could also disarm your security system, turn lights on, roll up your window shades, start music or anything else you can think of!
Want to know more? Ask us…
May 5, 2014 | Control Systems, Crestron, Home Automation, Home Theater
It happens to us all the time – two must-watch games on at the same time, or sometimes three, or even four! There is a solution, a good solution.
A fully touchscreen controllable, high-definition, high-resolution, multi-window video processor that can handle up to 8 different source inputs: HDMI, DVI, DisplayPort, HD-SDI and good-ole analog, with Crestron’s DVPHD. If your head didn’t explode with that one, you might be asking: What does it all mean? You can display 8 *different* feeds of anything your heart desires – satellite or cable TV, Blu-ray, computer screens and more – either all at once, a couple at a time or switch between them effortlessly through your handy touch panel. Add transition effects and customizable graphics to sweeten the delivery.
The DVPHD, when added to an existing or new Crestron system, can be connected to your big television in the great room or 2-piece projection system in the theater (anywhere, really). It is also perfectly suited for board room applications making presentations stand out with multi-media capabilities and real-time on-screen annotation at the touch of a button.
Mar 8, 2014 | Control Systems, Crestron, Home Automation
We all know that it is always better to take a test drive before you spend tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, whether it be that sweet new car, or on an automation and control system for your home. While our office showcases some of the technology available, it is only a taste of what you can truly do with a full Crestron system.
Crestron Experience Centers, located in several cities in the US, are a way to immerse yourself in what Crestron is capable of in elegant, real life settings.
Experience a Theo Kalomirakis Reference theater, play with touch-screens in the Interactive Design Lab or see how products can be tastefully incorporated into any decor style from traditional to contemporary.
Touring a Crestron Experience Center is by appointment only, so if you are interested, contact us for more information.
Jan 20, 2014 | Control Systems, Crestron, Distributed Audio, Distributed Video, Home Automation, Home Networking, Home Theater, Lighting Control, Security
Anyone? Anyone?
We don’t know about you, but our experience with the local cable company often goes like this:
Mr. Smith, our client, calls and says that the cable company has upgraded his equipment (insert cable box or modem here) and now his TV, internet (insert service here) doesn’t work.
Come to find out that this “upgrade” installed by the cable company has re-routed his wiring and is improperly installed for his system, or has changed his home network settings arbitrarily. This happens to us far too often and with just about every media product they offer. Several mind-numbing calls to the company for tech support and countless hours are spent troubleshooting and getting the client back up and running.
And to add to the sting, we have to charge the client a service call to fix the cable company’s mistakes.
We bet you have your own horror story to tell.
Why would anyone trust their home automation and security to the cable company? New services are being offered from everyone from Comcast to Lowe’s to Verizon that control your lights, heat, security and more all for a low monthly price. We certainly aren’t convinced that these companies are truly focused on your individual home’s security so much as they just want more monthly revenue.
We aren’t saying their products don’t work or are terrible, we are just questioning the technology choices that are out in the marketplace for critical systems. You can get along just fine without TV for a day but what about lights? Heat on a cold January day? Security for your family?
Our recommendation is to use proven products and systems with professional design, installation and certified programming. Yes, it may cost more but you get what you pay for and in the end, we think you’d prefer one less reason to call the cable company.
Jun 18, 2013 | Distributed Audio, Distributed Video, Home Automation, Home Theater, Security, Surround Sound
The decision to build a new home is incredibly exciting! There are so many fun choices to make – finishes, coverings and fixtures and all sorts! We are often called in to help “technify” a custom home and we see many common mistakes made over and over – you can be better prepared with a couple of tips:
Design Before You Design (Plan Ahead)
Save yourself a ton of money by planning your electronics ahead of your final home design. Bring in your audio video/integration specialist early, during the design phase of your home, to eliminate common problems that happen after the fact (and sometimes too late):
- Proper places for equipment, correct dimensions and cooling needs
- Blocking behind wall-mounted TVs for support
- Pre-wiring plan to a master control area (head end)
- Room size for theaters and media rooms
- Dedicated circuits for equipment rooms and areas with high demand
Prewiring Is Cheap
You can always change carpet, paint or counter tops, but it’s not so easy to retro-fit wiring so find a line that you are comfortable with between “wire for everything” and “wire for the bare minimum.” You can also run smurf tubes (a type of conduit) between floors so that you can retrofit wire more easily if necessary.
Sure, many things can operate with wireless technology but to have the most robust and problem-free system, hard-wired is always best.
Prepare A Budget
This seems like a no-brainer, right? True, but be realistic about what it costs. You can go to Big Box Retailer and purchase a 50” TV for under $700 but will that give you what you want? Same goes for audio, security, control… well… everything. A good integrator can give you realistic ranges to get you started.
