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Home Technology, Entertainment and Automation Experts in the San Francisco & North Bay!

Hidden TV Methods

Posted on 10-11-2011 in Blog

Not all of our clients want electronics to distract from their home decor.  In my opinion, it makes a huge difference to have the option to hide your TV with just the touch of a button.  Fortunately there are some extremely cool options for making your TV vanish.

Motorized Lift at Foot of Bed

Installing a motorized lift or mount is one.  This gives your TV the ability to move.  It can pivot, tilt pan and disappear entirely into the ceiling, wall or cabinetry.  We can work with your builder, interior designer or cabinet maker to set this up pretty much anywhere;  The cabinet at the foot of your bed,  for example, or we can set the TV up to come out of the wall or ceiling.  Even your outside TV can ascend from somewhere near the pool, hot tub or BBQ.  Anywhere you want, we can make it happen

 

 

Motorized Lift at Foor of Bed

Motorized Lift in Family Room

 

Another option is to have a Mirror TV installed.  The first time I saw one of these I couldn’t wait to set one up in the office to demo.  While turned on, you have an HDTV with stunning picture quality. Turn it off and you simply have a very elegant and impressive looking mirror.  The installation is extremely easy.  These can be mounted anywhere from the living room the bathroom, surface mouned or recessed depending on your décor.

 

The third alternative is covering your TV with artwork when it’s not in use.  A frame is installed around the TV and the artwork ascends or descends (scroll up or down) with the touch of a remote.

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Any of these solutions would make a huge difference if you goal is to not have electronics showing when not in use.  Give us a call or stop in to talk about which of these would be the best fit for your home.

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CEDIA EXPO 2011 – Our 10 Favorite New Products

Posted on 09-27-2011 in Blog

We just got back from CEDIA EXPO.  CEDIA is our industry trade show.  There were too many amazing new products unveiled for us to share them all with you, so we narrowed it down to our favorite 10.

1.) On Wall iPod Dock

What impressed us about this is that the iPod attaches to the wall charger with a magnet.  Easy, removal and no cords!

2.) The Sony 4k Projector

This projector is amazing, it gives you 4 times the resolution as conventional projectors (1080p). It is set to launch in January and will run  $25k.  Take it from me, this ultra-high resolution projector is guaranteed to set a new standard!

3.) Chief Articulating Wall Mount

 

This mount is actually recessed into the wall so when it retracts, the back disappears into the wall and the TV is truly flush with the wall.

4.) The New Crestron In-Wall iPad dock

This in-wall Creston iPad dock mounts flush with the wall and is easy to remove.

5.)  ICRealtime Surveillance Camera Options

We got to see lots of different options in home surveillance.  What is particularly exciting about the ICRealtime security solutions is the smartphone / iPad functionality.  You can now view and control your cameras from anywhere around the world.

6.)  Lutron Honeycomb Blinds

What makes these so great is that it gives you a low cost solution and still  maintains the Lutron world class quality, reliability and control.

7.) Lutron Thermostat

This smart thermostat connects to Lutron’s system to provide you with control remotely with your smartphone and iPad.

8.)  The new Panasonic 152 inch 4k 3D Plasma

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not only is this the worlds largest flat screen it gives you 4 times the resolution of a standard HD (not to mention goosebumps).  At 1/2 a million bucks, this is an experience so remarkable, so incredibly stunning you will definitely fall in love.

9.)  Samsung Infinity Edge TV

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Traditional television bezels have been between 2 & 3 inches.  Now, they come as small as 1/2 inch which looks amazingly sleek.

10.)  Savant IP Phone Systems

These systems have all the features of a residential phone system but it also integrates easily with your iPad &  smartphone.

And that’s just our top 10! If you have questions about these products, or would like to know about the other products we saw, give us a call today!

 

Revolutionary Flush-Mounting System

Posted on 09-26-2011 in Blog

Want to make your electronic devices blend in seamlessly with your décor?

 

TRUFIG takes electronics such as outlets, keypads, speakers, touch screens and light switches and mounts them flush with the surface of your walls and ceilings making them virtually disappear.

It looks amazing.

 

 

We can work with your painter or interior designer to make sure you get any custom color, look or style to fit with your home’s décor and that the designs are uniform and consistent throughout the house.  You can see examples below of installations in various types of surfaces.

Installed in a Stone Surface

Installed in a Wood Surface

If you would like your in-wall electronics to blend discreetly into the environment leaving the stunning design of your home uncompromised, call us today to set up a consultation.

 

 

More Info:

SoundVision Home

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Phone: (415) 456-7000

Fax: (415) 883-7199

27 Commercial Blvd. Suite M
Novato, CA 94949

info@svsf.com

 

 

 

Acoustics

Posted on 09-23-2011 in Blog

It’s essential to get each piece right for an amazing listening experience.

 

What most people don’t know is that over 50% of your sound quality has to do with the room it’s being played in.  The goal is for the listener to hear the speaker, without a lot of echoes and reflections on top of it. You can take a phenomenal audio system, put it in a room with poor acoustics and the audio will suffer.
For optimal acoustics we need to have a balance of absorption and deflection in the room, managing decay time.  Decay time is the amount of time the sound stays in the air, or persistence of sound once the original sound has been removed.  So, if you were to loudly clap your hands together and listen to the length of time you can hear the sound, that’s decay time.  Minimizing this helps the sound stay natural.

Absorption can be influenced with home décor such as carpeting, drapes and soft furniture. Too much absorption will make a room sound eerie or dead, but not enough and your audio will be echo-ey and unintelligible.  Deflection sprays sound around in many directions, redistributing the sound around in a way that keeps the sound alive and energetic. Combined with absorption, deflection makes a space sound natural and comfortable.

Every year I volunteer at a well attended charity event.  It’s usually held outdoors but this year it had to be held  inside an auditorium due to the rain.  It was a wildly different experience.  The floors were concrete, the walls were painted stone and there were no soft surfaces.  The live music sounded terrible, it was very difficult to communicate, conversations echoed, it just wasn’t a very comfortable environment.  This was a prime example of bad acoustics.

Room acoustics are vital for optimal performance.  SoundVision can work with your designer to offer tips on best acoustical practices or, if you want to go all out and get a full acoustical treatment (which is what we recommend for rooms where performance is the 1st priority) we can make your favorite room sound amazing.

My Favorite System – By Scott Klein, SoundVision Technician

Posted on 09-23-2011 in Blog

Until fairly recently, if you wanted different music sources playing throughout your house, a common solution was a 2 zone system configuration.  This gave you the ability to mirror music playing in the family room (where system is) to other rooms with in the house, or you could play something else entirely.  For example, with a 2 Zone system configuration you could watch a DVD in one room, and play music in the others.  The challenge we had with this particular configuration was that it is fairly limited.  If you were in a different room and wanted to switch what you were listening to, you would have to go all the way into the family room to change the source.  Additionally all of the rooms set up on Zone 2 have to be on the same source.  So, if someone was watching a movie in the family room and you were listening to Journey in another room, the other rooms could only listen to Journey (which might be ok, if you are a huge Journey fan).

Over the past couple years Sonos has been taking over the Job of Zone 2.  Sonos is a networked music system.  What this means to you is; you can now listen to your entire music library, internet radio, podcasts, etc. in any room of your home, even your backyard.  Unlike the 2 Zone system configuration, you can listen to whatever you want in whichever room you like, and you are no longer limited to two sources.  Sonos also allows you to control the source (Ipod, XM Radio, Spotify) and volume from within the room via your smartphone or iPad.  All that, without having to purchase an big expensive system

With Sonos you get a lot more flexibility and control than you ever got out of a 2 Zone System.  The good news is that you can easily replace your 2 Zone system by using your existing equipment and purchasing a Sonos Zone Player from SoundVision.  Because of the ease of installation and the flexibility of the Sonos system, this has become my favorite system to install.  It’s really great to see how excited our clients get about the Sonos system once they make the switch from a 2 Zone configuration.

If you are currently only enjoying 2 zones in your house and you want more, give us a call.  I would love to come out and install my favorite system in your home.

 

 

Top 5 Reasons to Have a Home Phone System Installed

Posted on 08-18-2011 in Blog

1) It gives you the ability to manage more than 2 phone lines.You will have the functionality to put calls on hold and transfer on as many lines as you want.

2) You can have multiple voice mailboxes.Just like in an office you can have multiple mailboxes with different outgoing messages for each of phone lines.

3) Intercom abilities to multiple door and gate locations.This is great if you have multiple door and gate locations on your property where you need to buzz people in and out.

4) Whole house intercom system.This provides you with a far more elegant intercom solution than the in-wall ones we had in the late 1970’s

5) Wireless Phone Systems. Wireless phones have a larger range which is perfect for a bigger home or estate. Typical wireless phones work for about 2000 square feet. Wireless phone systems have multiple base stations, transferring you to the next one as you move through the house. This creates a seamless transition as you talk on your phone while walking throughout your home. 

SoundVision and Security Camera Systems

Posted on 08-18-2011 in Blog

A home security camera system from SoundVision (CCTV – the use of video cameras to monitor and record activity in and around your property) protects things that matter most in your life; your family, your pets and most precious belongings.  And now, thanks to considerable advances in technology, you can keep an eye on your property from anywhere in the world, real time, in color.

 

 

Imagine being on a business trip and being able to see what is going on in your home and yard with the swipe of your finger.  You can use your smartphone or tablet to check multiple camera angles, locations, night vision cameras all from the palm of your hand.  You can move your fingers in all directions to slide through your cameras move them and even zoom in.  As well as live viewing, there’s also the ability to playback recorded video too.

 

The surveillance cameras visually monitor key areas of your home and property letting you know immediately of anything unusual.  Seeing who is at your door in real time or being able to buzz someone in from across the country is priceless. Everyone knows that having a surveillance system installed protects you and your family from harm, theft, vandalism and fires, etc but it also has many additional benefits.  It can help you find pets, monitor employees, settle disputes and the video can be used as evidence should a crime occur. Over time surveillance cameras have gotten smaller, sleeker and less expensive and we can design a system that is perfect for your home based on your preferences.  It’s particularly significant to us that your home is equipped with the most advanced and reliable surveillance technology available.  Contact us today to get started.

 

Outdoor Entertaining, Home Theater Style

Posted on 08-18-2011 in Blog

The Bay Area is a truly incredible place to live.  I can’t tell you how often I’m on the phone with people from all over the country that would trade places with us in a heartbeat.  One of my favorite things about living here is the weather.  It’s warm, mild and perfect for outdoor entertaining.  Beautiful weather, family, friends and good food are really the key to making an outdoor get together memorable.But what makes a patio party a remarkable entertainment experience?  SoundVision does.

 

 

 

Ever wanted to watch the big game from your patio bar?   Control what song you are listening to and the volume while you are in the Jacuzzi?  Or maybe crank up Led Zeppelin as you BBQ while the kids listen to Justin Beiber at the pool?  Now you can.You can pretty much have anything you want in the world of outdoor HDTVs.  You can choose from LCD or LED Flat screens or even projection screens. These can be installed wherever you like, flush mounted to an exterior wall , on a motorized lift at the end of your pool, the possibilities are endless.    A motorized lift gives you control to have it ascend from its hiding spot whenever you’re ready to watch.  Next, you can enjoy high-performance audio all around your patio, yard, pool house, bocce ball court, etc.There are several attractive speaker options and designs– popular choices are speakers that resemble rocks, speakers mounted under eaves, landscape lighting speakers and even underwater, underground speakers and subwoofers.  These come in all shapes and sizes andwill be expertly installed to fit into your landscaping and match your home exterior.  Your swimming pool and spa equipment can even be automated, heating hot tubs and turning on underwater lights from your web enabled smart phone.

Not only can these electronic enhancements make your outdoor space extremely impressive, it’s easy to use.  You can control everything from wherever you are; home, office, vacation home etc. Weatherproof keypads and volume controls can be installed on an exterior wall, allowing you to choose sources and set the volume without having to go back inside. Or, lose the wires and enjoy even more control with a wireless remote, touchpanel, tablet or smartphone.Now that almost everything you love about your home theater and home audio systems are available outside, trust me, you’ll discover a new appreciation for the great outdoors.If you would like to explore your outdoor options or have any questions, feel free to call our office at (415) 456-7000, send me an email or visit our website today.

 

 

The Importance of Surround Sound

Posted on 08-18-2011 in Blog

As the world of Home Theater grows, so does multi-channel sound (aka. surround sound).   The way you experience sound in your entertainment has a huge impact on how much you enjoy it.   Surround sound is a tremendously cool way to experience your movies and music in a way that makes you feel like you are in the middle of it all.I remember my first experience with surround sound, Close Encounters of the Third Kind; I sat down with my popcorn ready to be spellbound while Steven Spielberg worked his magic.  Interestingly enough, it wasn’t just the story that captivated me; it was something I had never experienced before, the sounds were coming from all around me.  This made an incredible movie feel even more real and completely exhilarating.At the time, this was so innovative, so exciting it didn’t occur to me that I would be able to recreate the experience in my own home. But now, this technology is fairly standard in home entertainment systems.  High end systems have been on the market for a while but now there are many budget friendly options that maintain a similar level of quality as the high end systems.In real life we experience sound from all around us.  Surround sound recreates this by sending the right sounds to the right places.  A surround sound system lets you enjoy your content with a realism all its own.The most common type of surround sound is the 5.1 system.  A 5.1 surround system has five discrete audio channels: Left, Right, Center, Left Surround, Right Surround and a Subwoofer.The center speaker is for the dialogue of the film, and the front speakers produce the action noises and create the effect of sounds moving from the side to side.  Then the surround speakers (behind you) add depth to the sound.  They are generally a little quieter and they allow you to hear the things going past you.  To really create the best overall sound you also need a sub-woofer; this increases & intensifies the bass without causing peaks or dips.That’s part of the technical reason why surround systems sound great. If you enjoy playing music and watching movies that sound amazing, do yourself a favor and contact us about setting yours up for you. 

Our Thoughts on Spotify

Posted on 07-27-2011 in Blog

It’s an exciting time to be a music lover.  Up until recently I hadn’t quite realized just how accessible our favorite music really can be.  In our weekly meeting one my staff brought up the Spotify US Launch.  Over the last week we have all had a blast playing with it.  Spotify is a really exciting new addition to the world of streaming media.It’s an endless music database.  You get to choose as many songs as you want from their robust collection of over 15 million (wow) songs.  And these aren’t only major labels either, so far there hasn’t been anything we haven’t been able to find.  One of my staff didn’t believe that you could “find pretty much anything”.   She named off a band that played at a few college parties in her home town some odd 10 years ago.  We looked and sure enough, it was there.  She was blown away.  We all were.Also, you get something called Offline Mode where you choose the tracks you want synced to your computer or phone.  This way you will be able to listen whether you have an internet connection or not.Did you ever make mix tapes or playlists that you wanted to share with your friends?   Spotify allows you to share your playlists over various social media applications.Spotify is available for your PC, Mac, home audio system and cell phone, depending on your level of service.  We were able to add it to our Sonos system fairly easily.The service is simple, you just download the Spotify Desktop Application then build your library and create playlists.The only downside we have seen so far is that it only works on one device at a time.  So if you have your Spotify playing through a music system, then try to listen on your phone or tablet, the original stream will pause.All in all we think this is a really impressive experience.  Who wouldn’t want instant access to every song ever made (well, almost)? 

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