• Lifestyle Control: Touch screen devices for home automation
• Home Networks: A complete guide to home networking
• The Everything  Gadget: How the revolutionary iPad is reshaping home entertainment and control.

Plus much more. It’s all waiting for you in the Fall 2010 issue of HD Living Magazine!

Phase 1: The first order of business was to clear out the old TV, AV gear, and shelving to make way for a more streamlined AV cabinet.

Phase 2: The next step was to place the Polk speakers and subwoofer in the cabinet for a compact, but well balanced system.  The cabinet also provides clean cable management for the speaker wire and cables.

Phase 3:Following the speakers placement, we placed the Wii game console, Denon turntable, Sony Blu-ray player and Comcast HD cable box in the cabinet for an easy connection to the receiver.

Phase 4: After all the cables were fished through the cabinet we wired them up to an Integra surround sound receiver.

Phase 5: The Samsung Plasma HDTV was then installed and the Wii motion sensor was mounted on top of the display.

Phase 6: The final step was to mount the acoustically transparent panel doors onto the cabinet for a clean finish.  The Universal Remote was then reprogrammed for simple operation, then the audio system and TV were calibrated for optimal performance.

Final result is a cleanly designed, robust and reliable, easy to use media system that fits into the room’s décor.

At other companies my day would start by being briefed on the spot about the day’s job.  The boss would always prepare the schedule at the last minute in hopes of just throwing bodies at projects. There was rarely a plan of action and never any scope of work, design meetings, or project checklists given in advance.

Sounds like a tough start.  How did that affect the projects?

Well, once I figured out where I was going for the day I’d go into the warehouse to stage the equipment only to find that we didn’t have half of the parts needed. On a few occasions I remember informing the boss, and he said, “I forgot to order that. Tell the client that it’s backordered.”  So, I would leave the shop with no information on the project, very little parts, and a lie to tell the client!Once I arrived at the site, I’d rummage through my set of inferior tools and prepare to start work. There wasn’t much in the way of documentation which resulted in way too much time on the phone with tech support or my project manager.  That was just to get up to speed on the project and figure out how the system is supposed to work.

How was your experience with the other technicians and support staff?

I found that often times at most other companies my coworkers weren’t CEDIA certified and had little experience.  So, that meant a bit of babysitting onsite. The kicker was that after a long frustrating day onsite I’d finally get back to the shop to find my boss drinking a beer and acting as if everything was great.

Techs ensure their vans are kept well organized.

How is it different here at SoundVision?

SoundVision always stresses process and preplanning.  Our schedules are literally booked weeks in advance.  Each project gets a project binder that we take onsite.   The binders include everything from scope of work, project management checklists, to wiring schematics & floor plans.  At SoundVision we always follow a carefully laid out set of tasks and milestones for each project.  In terms of parts, we have a purchasing manager who orders all our parts and stages them for us each morning.  Our vans are always fully stocked with the right tools for the job.

Can you talk about some of the SoundVision processes while onsite?

Sure.  When I arrive onsite, I do a walk-through and fill out a Project Time Estimator.  This document will tell me if we are going to finish within the time and budget provided.  Photographs are taken at every phase and downloaded to the server for future review and reference.   At the end of each day, emails are sent out to all stakeholders informing them of where we are in the project and any issues encountered. 

SoundVision staff meeting

How does the SoundVision staff differ?

At SoundVision, our techs are all CEDIA certified and keep up to date with the latest technology by attending seminars and workshops.   If I ever have questions while onsite, there are a minimum of three people I can contact prior to calling the tech support line.  SoundVision also has a dedicated support and administrative staff on board so the office is always running smoothly.  We have bi-weekly all-hands staff meetings where we collaborate on ideas and lessons learned while onsite.

Kenny’s Insider Tips

After hearing about some of his war stories on the job, we asked Kenny if he could put together a list of tips for people to consider before choosing their next custom electronics integrator.

• Look around their office.  Is it organized or messy?  If it’s messy, odds are that they treat their clients/projects in the same manner… If they can’t keep their own office neat and clean, what makes you believe they’ll keep your home/project organized?
• Observe their employees (if they’re there).  Do they display a professional appearance: clean shaven/groomed, clean clothes, etc.  This will help you decide if you are comfortable with letting them into your home, before the project has started.
• Check to see if they have received industry related awards.  Typically, you will notice these once you walk into the door.  If you don’t see any awards or recognition of any kind, odds are they don’t do quality work and don’t deserve them.
• Do your homework.  See what other people have said about the company. Dig around on the internet for reviews or testimonials. View their website; does it appear to be sales based, or information based? If possible, take a look at one of their ongoing projects.

Family Room Media System with:

• Flat-panel TV mounted on the wall, on an articulating arm allowing the TV to pull out and swivel;
• Surround sound system with in-ceiling speakers for minimal visual impact;
• Sources include Cable TV, AM/FM radio, Blu-ray Disc player, CD player, iTunes music and streaming Netflix movies;
• Single remote control, making the system easy to use while allowing control through walls and doors;
• Equipment located out of view in remote location.

Whole-House Music System with speakers in these areas:

• Kitchen
• Living Room
• Dining Room
• Back Patio
• Master Bedroom
• Master Bathroom

Motorized Window Shades in:

• Family room — glare/UV protection
• Living room — privacy
• Dining room — privacy
• Master bedroom — blackout

Once we get an understanding of the wish list, our goal is to review options and various performancelevels for each system, so the client can determine what solutions are best for them.  As we nail down the scope of the project, we begin to consider which products are best suited for the application. We also estimate how much time it will take to wire and install the systems.  In this initial meeting we can narrow down the scope of the potential project and determine the budgets required to deliver the desired systems.In many cases we end up with a gap between what a client wants, and what they have budgeted for. In these cases, it’s always important to keep in mind the four factors that drive budgets, including:

1. Features
2. Performance level
3. Aesthetics
4. Control/ease of use

Any increase or decrease in budget can always be associated with increasing or decreasing one of these factors.

1. Examples of eliminating Features to reduce costs:

• Eliminate the mount that allows the TV to pull out and swivel.
• Eliminate surround sound and do stereo sound (2 speakers instead of 5).
• Eliminate CD player and play CDs in DVD player.
• Eliminate outdoor speakers.
• Use manual shades instead of motorized shades.

1. Examples of lowering Performance to reduce costs:

• Use lower quality TV
• Use lower quality speakers and electronics.
• Use lower quality shades with louder motors.

1. Examples of sacrificing Aesthetics to reduce costs:

• Remove the TV wall mount and set the TV on a cabinet.
• Locate equipment in cabinet below TV.
• Leave components in view so they can be controlled by traditional remote controls.
• Reduce installation time by leaving wires exposed.
• Install speakers in locations that are easy to wire vs. locations that are aesthetically pleasing.
• Use paper type honeycomb window shades instead of fabric roller shades.

1. Examples of sacrificing Control (ease of use) to reduce costs:

• Use multiple remote controls instead of single universal remote control.
• Use manual shades instead of motorized shades.
• Control house music at central location instead of in each room.

While the above examples will be effective in reducing costs, they will also be effective in diminishing the desirability of the finished systems. Whether a client chooses to adjust the budget, or modify the wish list, our job is to make sure they understand the repercussions of the decisions they are making.  It is up to us to make sure that when the project is complete they do not find themselves saying “I wish I had…” or “If knew that, I would have…,” but are enthusiastically satisfied with their new system.

The rear cargo area of Jim Harberson's well-organized van.

SoundVision's Scott Sullivan inspects technician Scott Klein's van as Operations Manager Brian Stang looks on.

The time our technicians spent getting ready for the challenge was clear that Friday morning, as it was an extremely tough competition for Scott and company to judge a clear winner. Some of the competition’s highlights included Scott Klein’s do-it-yourself cable spool holder, which he put together and installed on a weekend in order to keep the various spools of cable out of the way and in order. Jim Harberson’s highly-organized cab was also a big hit, and the back of the van wasn’t too shabby, either. When it was all said and done, all of our senior technicians walked away $200 SoundVision Bucks richer. Well done, team!Watch for future Inside SoundVision articles here on the SoundVision Blog for an inside look at how we do business here at SoundVision.