2 Ways an Automated Home Helps You Manage Your Time

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Automated homes save you time. You can turn on your phone to check if the garage door closed all the way. You can integrate your media so you don’t have to spend time searching and fast-forwarding when you switch between devices. You can even use smart home systems to lower your expenses so you don’t have to spring on that next overtime opportunity. But a good home automation system doesn’t just save you time, it helps you track your time. Here’s how:

2 Ways an Automated Home Helps You Manage Your Time

Get a Better Examination of Your Media Consumption

The Internet is full of time trackers you can add to your browsers to see how much time you’re spending on Netflix and social media. But that minute count is always incomplete: it doesn’t take into account your other devices, other distractions, and when you get caught up in other people’s shows. But a house-wide media system captures all of the details, even for media you consume when you’re not at home. Because all of your devices sync up, you can really get to the bottom of how you’re spending your hours.

Set a Schedule

Schedules are hard to follow, especially when they rely just on your willingness to follow them. Instead of trying to push through and stick to a schedule through alarms alone, incorporate your schedule into your home system. If you want to be up at a certain time, program the lights to slowly start brightening 15 minutes before when you should be up so you wake up more naturally. Set your usual work routine into your thermostat so the temperature rises and falls based on how many people are supposed to be in the house. Set the sockets to power down ‘vampire devices’ during the day and make sure the power needs a quick password to be overridden. This still allows you to make changes to your day, but it makes those changes deliberate. Not only does making your house an active part in your schedule motivate you, it takes away the small tasks that could add to inertia.

Go to Audio Video Solutions to find the right home automation system that fits your lifestyle.

Elevate Your Home with URC Total Control Home Integration

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In today’s world, there are many automation products for your home and business. The available selection spans both entertainment and smart home technology, with each having their own advantages and capabilities. But how do you have a single control system for both of these seemingly separate consumer product lines? This is where URC Total Control home integration can help.

Elevate Your Home with URC Total Control Home Integration

A Single System for All of Your Automation Products

Total Control can combine different technologies and merge them into a single fluid control mechanism. You can connect your home features with one easy to use solution. Imagine, your lights, locks, window shades, and even your thermostat under intelligent control that lies at your fingertips.

But it doesn’t stop there since Total Control will also manage your entertainment components as well. With a simple gesture, you can lock the house, set the right temperature, adjust the lighting for the perfect mood, adjust the volume just right, and start the home theater. This leaves the other hand free to pour the wine.

Total House Control

You can also use the system to control and share audio throughout your home. With a few simple pre-programmed steps you can dictate where your music plays, and when. With the touchscreen system, you can send video to a room with a mere flick of a finger.

Cutting Edge Technology Merged

Total Control can utilize many forms of control to make the experience the most convenient for you. In your system, you can have a touchscreen, a standard remote, or even voice. Total Control can adapt and use both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant as a control point. You can control your entire house using only your voice.

Many Integration Partners

Total control has partnered with many industry-leading providers to make sure you can create the ultimate home automation system. Through the robust products offered by our integration partners, Total Control can empower you with leading-edge technology for a truly personalized and powerful smart home solution.

Contact us today for a professionally programmed Total Control solution that integrates with virtually thousands of the best products on the market. Your unique smart home experience is waiting for you.

When Is It Time to Change Your Business Network’s Cabling?

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Since cables stay folded up under cubicle desks and hidden in the walls, it can be difficult to keep them in mind. But your office’s cables might be slowing down your business. If your business has expanded since you last upgraded your network or you want to get to the bottom of network down times, look into your cables. Here are two changes you can make to help your business speed up:

When Is It Time to Change Your Business Network's Cabling?

Standardize your equipment.

Most business networks grow a bit organically. You might start off with just a few people, with one router and a shared password. But as you pick up new employees and start to fill out more and more of an office space, you need a bigger network. That often means picking up a new router here and there, adding a few new cables, and making do to focus on the business. But a patchwork network is more than slow. It’s full of vulnerabilities and the possibility of a long outage. Have an expert take a look at your cabling and make suggestions for improvements that make the most impact on your network. You don’t have to change everything, but you do have to remove vulnerable connections.

Add more ports.

Business technology is going mobile. Even if your employees need to come into the office every day, they shouldn’t be restricted to their cubicles. Make sure you fill the break room, huddle rooms, and conference areas with plenty of Ethernet cables and USB ports so your employees can hold meetings with a shared screen or tap into a more direct Internet connection for extra speed. Not having enough resources can slow down a meeting and make people think working with other departments is more inconvenient than it’s worth.

Go to Audio Video Solutions for a high-quality inspection of your business’s cabling, quick network improvements, and more.

Will a Home Theater Impact Your Home’s Resale Value?

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Knowing how home improvements change your home’s value is important. Unless it’s a family property that’s fully owned, chances are you will eventually sell your home to move to a new location or get a bigger house. Whether you have a home theater already or you are in the middle of making a pro-con list, taking the future profitability into consideration is a great choice. Here’s how any home theater can factor into the future sale:

Will a Home Theater Impact Your Home's Resale Value?

Are you making use of an unusable space?

A lot of home theaters are in basements. They’re also in rooms without any windows. These locations are great spaces for a home theater because they might not otherwise be attractive to prospective home buyers. In fact, turning basements from simple storage to space with a definite purpose, such as a rec room, a gym, or a wine cellar, draws in interested buyers. People also tend to buy homes with the improvements already in place so they don’t have to make the renovations themselves. A finished media room checks all the boxes.

Is it a smart theater that’s integrated into your home?

Most new home theaters don’t just have the hardware plugged into the walls. Instead, everything is integrated with a central smart home system. It allows for remote operation, media syncing, and house-wide integration. Smart homes also have other features such as more refined security and remote monitoring of the electrical sockets. If your home already has a smart system when it goes on the market, that’s valuable.

Can the home theater be easily modified?

Everyone has their own idea of what they want their home theater to look like. One person might want deep Cinemark-red walls. Another person might want fixed seating in elevated rows. No matter what style you want, you can get a lot of value out of it if you make it easy to personalize and rearrange.

Go to Audio Video Solutions to get the home theater that you want and that will retain its value for years to come.

Don’t Forget to Add Security to Your Home Theater

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A complete audio system and home theater can have some cutting edge technology. New systems let you sync your smartphone with your speakers, keeps your Netflix account up-to-date across all of the different screens, and can even go online. But that means everything from your Apple password to your credit card information could be accessed. Here are three ways to keep your data safe:

Don't Forget to Add Security to Your Home Theater

1. Use a centralized smart home system.

Malware protection and good encryption systems can protect your information no matter how far-reaching it is. The trouble comes with several independent systems: if you have to maintain separate protections for each of your devices, the underlying network, and more, it can be hard to keep everything updated. And just like if you regularly switch between a Mac and a Windows computer, not everything works well between different systems unless you spend a lot of time making it work. Instead of keeping tabs on everything individually, loop it together with a centralized system. Not only do they give additional features and much easier internal access to the information you need, everything stays more secure.

2. Make sure your system is locked onto your personal wifi.

Most of the time, you couldn’t lock onto your neighbor’s wifi even if you tried. It’s too far away, the walls are too thick, and it’s password protected. But if you’re relying on other people’s security and you have your devices set to automatically find the strongest network, you’re vulnerable to people who want your data. Whether you’re installing your home theater all at once or you want to add several different elements over time, make sure they’re locked onto your Internet signal only.

3. Set up administrative control.

If you have children, you probably already set yourself up as the core account holder so you can add permissions and restrictions. But even if you don’t have to monitor the media, make sure you are the administrator. That gives you better insight into unusual patterns and alerts that might be hard to notice without automation.

Home theaters are fun, but they also need to be secure. Go to Audio Video Solutions for professional installation and system management.

Which Whole Home Audio Will Work Best For You?

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Looking at the variety of whole home audio options available, we can see how it might be a little confusing. The good news, though, is that it doesn’t have to be, and we can help you figure out exactly what will work best for you.

Of all the design elements at play in homes across the country, it seems one is almost always left out: the sound system. However, this seemingly insignificant facet of your home’s design could be the very one that brings you the most joy!

Which Whole Home Audio Will Work Best For You?

Just Imagine!

Imagine, going from room to room, with the soft sound of music following you, no matter where you go. Or perhaps you’re a fan of audio books. Whatever the case, being tied to one device just doesn’t fit in today’s modern homes, or your busy lifestyle.

What’s more, a hard drive or computer system can be attached to your home audio system so that you can make use of the latest streaming services. Simply set up the service as you normally would and enjoy your favorite sounds throughout your entire home.

How We Make It Work

The magic of whole home audio comes from the intricate setup including speakers that can be mounted in your walls and ceilings. Their proper placement creates a full, rich surround sound that is truly like no other sound experience.

To make things even easier, you might opt for a wireless system, in which the speakers are not hardwired into the main component. This works wonderfully for existing homes when you’re not looking for any type of renovation. Better still, it is a simple and quick set up, so your installers will be in and out in no time at all.

Give Us A Call!

At Audio Video Solutions, we have more than eleven years of experience that we can put to work for you. Our attention to customer service is something we take seriously and we’d love to assist you in adding a whole home audio system to your own home.

To schedule an estimate, or even if you just have a few more questions, please feel free to contact us at your convenience. We look forward to serving you!

Home Automation: 3 Things You Can Automate in Your House Right Now!

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You know how in the 1950s everyone was convinced that the home of the 21st century would be fully staffed by robots? While some of us are snickering about that, others have realized that ideal isn’t all that far off from what’s happened. Today, if we want to, it’s fully possible to live in the idea of the automatic home. Here are just a few things we’ve automated in order to make our home lives that much simpler.

Home Automation: 3 Things You Can Automate in Your House Right Now!

#1: Shades

You never really think about the shades on your windows, until it’s time to pull them. And it’s only when you pull them that you remember how much of a pain it can be. Automated shades, though, can be opened or closed to any degree you want with the simple push of a button. Sometimes you don’t even have to get up, making them a huge convenience you didn’t even know you wanted.

#2: Home Security System

Home security has become a huge concern, and thanks to the advent of the smartphone it’s now possible for homeowners to change their settings whenever they want to. If you want to make sure your security light comes on at seven p.m., you can make that happen. If you want your alarms to automatically be engaged at a certain time, you can make that happen too. It’s safety on your schedule.

#3: Lights, TV, and Video Games

If you want to make sure that your kids go to bed when they’re supposed to, a simple automated timer can cut off power to a TV or video game system when curfew rolls around. That way there’s no need to sneak up to listen in; you know beforehand that distractions are eliminated when the timer runs out. In fact, if you want to make sure you go to bed like a mature adult, you could put one of these automated timers in your own room, too.

To talk to the experts about automating your home, simply contact us today!

2 Safe Ways to Install Your TV Over Your Fireplace

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Many experts warn against mounting your television above your fireplace, and that’s largely for your device’s sake. The heat and smoke from a fire can damage the television’s inner workings and shorten its lifespan. But there are several ways to get around the problem, so if the only available spot is above the fire but you don’t want to damage your future TV, here are two alternatives:

2 Safe Ways to Install Your TV Over Your Fireplace

Install a mounting device that holds the television away from the wall and protects the base of your television.

New televisions are often too thin to contain all of the space and ventilation needed to ward off damage from proximity to a fireplace, so you’ll need a wall mount that does all of that and more. Look for extending arms that hold the television away from the wall itself; while the air can still conduct heat, it’s far better than the warmed wall itself. Also look for arms that can change the television’s direction: if the television is about the fireplace, that means you probably have windows on the opposite wall, and moveable mounts can change the screen’s angle to keep the glare away.

Get a projector instead of a television.

This removes the mix of heat and electronics from the equation entirely. While you will have a screen above the fireplace still, it won’t be as easily damaged by the heat and you can automate it to roll up into a protective case when it’s not in use. The projector and all of the fragile electronic components will be safely away from the fireplace, either on the ceiling or the top of the opposite wall, so you don’t have to worry about potential damage or the screw marks from the wall mount if you rearrange the room.

No matter which option you pick, Audio Video Solutions can help. Go to our site here to get started.

What Else Can You Use a TV Projector For?

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Don’t just watch your TV shows and movies on your projector. While it gives you crystal clear quality that equals or surpasses traditional screens of an equal size, that’s only the beginning of what it can do. What else can you use a TV projector for?

What Else Can You Use a TV Projector For?

Design your home theater to be video game and Wii-friendly.

A projector is a perfect opportunity to make playing video games an even better experience. Whether you have a single-player game with great graphics and you want to completely immerse yourself in the highly detailed settings or you’re playing a multi-player game that splits the screen so each player has a customized view, bigger is better. Set your projector to make wall-wide images so that the games are clearer and easier to see than ever.

It also creates a great environment for Wii games and other motion-based consoles. While restricting the motion integration to characters on a screen was still a game-changer for video games, you can make it even better by making it look like you’re actually in the game.

Make projects easier.

Do you remember tracing shapes on a shaky overhead projector at school? Whether it was to make a map or to trace a silhouette for a biology project, the final product was unsteady because of the blur and accidental shifting. But with a projector, your children can easily trace everything from a last-minute touch-up on a history assignment due tomorrow or fonts for a homecoming or birthday poster. Just roll up the screen, tape up the paper, and let them create.

Go to Audio Video Solutions to find the right projector and installation package for everything you have planned.

How to Set Up A Home Theater

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You don’t have to be a lottery winner to have a home theater in your house. Setting up a home theater isn’t as expensive as it sounds.  It’s actually affordable and easy to set up. Everyone should have a theater in their house. It makes your video entertainment much more entertaining. You’ll have better pictures along with better sound. You don’t need much equipment to set it up. All you need is a TV, a receiver, a DVD or Blu-ray player, speakers, and cables.

How to Set Up A Home Theater

Getting Started

You’ll first need to decide what room you want to use as your theater. You can use any room, basement, or attic. Stand in the room and clap your hands to check your room’s acoustics.

If you hear a ringing after the clap, you’ll need to optimize the room to get the best sound.

Try to balance the hard and reflecting surfaces in the room, like bare walls, with soft surfaces, like bookshelves filled with books or a carpeted floor.

The TV

Once you choose the room, think about the TV size you want.

If you don’t have one already, you should get an HDTV.

You should place the TV in the center of the room. No one should have to strain their necks to see.

The Receiver

You’ll need a good receiver for your theater. Your receiver will take the signal from the DVD or Blu-ray player and send the video to the TV and the audio the speakers.

Receivers come with tons of different features and price tags. To avoid confusion, buy a receiver that meets your needs. If a feature seems tempting, but you don’t think you’ll use it in the near future, don’t buy that receiver.

Find one that better meets your needs.

You could connect the DVD player directly to the TV, but a receiver allows for a more organized and manageable system.

The Speakers

Speakers will make the video’s sound much better. The type of speakers you buy depends on your room’s size and your budget.

Putting It All Together

You don’t need to be an expert to put everything together. Set aside a few hours and get all your equipment and tools ready. Then, get to work.

First place everything where you want it to go. Find where you want the TV to be, the speakers, and the receiver.

You’ll connect your speakers’ cables to the audio outputs on your receiver. And then connect your video sources, either your Blu-ray or DVD player, to the video inputs on the receiver.

Then, connect the receiver’s HDMI output to the TV.

You can keep all the cables organized with twist ties and labels.

Need help? Contact us!