Integrating a Mac Mini into your home theater system opens up a whole new world of media features and offers the convenience of having a fully functional Apple computer on your television. Having a direct connection to your music, movie, and photo library on an HD system is truly an immersive experience. With a few peripherals such as a wireless keyboard and mouse you can easily browse your favorite websites, play video games, instant message, and even shoot out emails – on the biggest screen in the house, all from the convenience of your couch. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination. With the addition of a webcam, you can even set up video conferencing, over your media system.With its small form factor, ease of operation, and many input/output options, the Mac Mini makes a perfect companion piece to your media system.
Mac Mini Home Theater
Séura TV Mirrors
One brand that stands out as a true innovator in merging audio visual electronics and lifestyle products is Séura. Séura offers a unique line of stylish HD displays that fully integrate into the décor of your home. Their flagship product is known as a TV mirror. TV mirrors are LCD displays mounted behind mirrors that vanish when powered off. These make excellent hidden TVs in non-traditional spaces such as bathrooms, kitchens or powder rooms. TV mirrors offers an elegant solution for accessing television in many rooms of the house.In addition to TV mirrors, Séura manufactures the hydra waterproof television which is perfectly at home in places like your shower or Bath suite. With a TV mirror in the bathroom you gain the ability to catch the morning news in the shower or even pipe in music and movies from your favorite streaming media device.With the limitless possibilities of home integration and elegant design, Séura TV mirrors are amongst our favorite options for hidden TVs.
The Best Streaming Media Devices
Once the domain of computers, home networks are now connecting the latest generation of TVs, video game systems and audio systems to a myriad of content available on the Internet. As the importance of home networking has grown, the quality of the home network has a large impact on a homeowner’s lifestyle.One of the most exciting trends gaining momentum in home entertainment is access to your home network and the internet. Network access opens up a brand new world of apps and streaming media features such as Netflix, Pandora, and Amazon Video on demand. Many devices are adopting theses features, but with this influx of new features come a startling amount of options for content. We’d like to share with you a handy chart that maps out some of the best features that are currently available with our favorite media players.
Click on image to enlarge
Projectors and Screens
A motorized screen in the living room.
Bringing the cinema experience to your home is an exciting proposition, but raises a lot of important decisions you should consider. Where will the projector live? Will it be out in the open, tucked in a custom made soffit, or attached to a motorized arm? What kind of projector should you get, what kind of film screen, and should that be out in the open or hidden when not in use? Well, you get the idea. We’d like to talk about some of the most popular options and weigh in with the pros and cons of each one.Projector Location
Hidden Projectors are aesthetically attractive and certainly have the cool factor going for them. Many home theater owners enjoy the convenience of using their remote to dim the lights and lower their motorized projector and film screen from the ceiling. Hidden projectors and screens are remarkable for seamlessly transforming a traditional living room into a complete home theater.When Projectors are installed out in the open, it makes for a quicker install and negates the need for a special ventilation system. Being out in the open also allows for easy to access for repairs and minor upgrades.Another consideration when thinking about location is the viewing distance of your seating in comparison to your screen size. For more info Check out our Optimal Screen Distance and Height Chart.
Types of Projectors
Single Chip Projectors – Start with a source of light (lamp) and split the light into three beams. Each beam passes through its own LCD panel. The LCD panels each have hundreds of thousands of tiny pixels, the higher the resolution, the more pixels. Data determines whether light is allowed to pass through each one. Single chip projectors offer a great value, but can be perceived as overly saturated and can sometimes display what is know as the rainbow effect.Three Chip Projectors - 3 chip projectors are a system where a white light passes through a prism that divides the light into red, green and blue. The colored light is reflected from the DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) and passes through the lens to project an ultra rich image. Three chip projectors come at a premium price, but have an ultra sharp image without the rainbow effect or heavy saturation.
Screen Options
When choosing a screen for a projector, there are additional considerations to factor in like ambient lighting, viewing angles, and space. For example, environments with a high level of ambient light might benefit from a gray screen to enhance the black levels. Manufacturers like Stewart Filmscreens offer a wide range of high quality screens that are designed to meet the needs of any theater room setup.Many customers enjoy the ease of having a motorized screen lower from the ceiling when the time comes to throw in a movie. This provides the most flexibility in terms of location and a popular way to turn a traditional living room into a home theater without affecting the décor.As you can see there are many things to consider when purchasing a projector for your home. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about projectors please feel free to call our office at (415) 456-7000, send me an email or visit our website today.
A Breakdown of Home Automation Interfaces
As home automation technology progresses the options for Home Automation interfaces has grown. Choosing the right interface for your family can be a tricky decision to make. We’d like to explain some of the benefits of each type to help clear up any questions you may have and keep you well informed of the latest technologies.Wireless Remotes – Wireless remotes offer customers the comfort of a familiar method of control in an ultra portable package. An infra red universal remote is perfectly suitable for a simple home entertainment system. As the home automation needs grow an RF or WiFi capable remote like URC will be needed to expand the range and usage of features like shading or lighting control.Touch Panels – A touchscreen can offer much more flexibility, including video surveillance, additional control options, internet access, and complete customization. They provide graphic based control that covers a broad range of devices and systems. Touchpanels can come as wired or wireless.
- Wired - Wired touchpanels are often installed in the wall at a central or convenient location of the home. They can be used in conjunction with wireless touchpanels and keypads.
- Wireless – Wireless touchpanels can move from room-to-room and offer the greatest amount of flexibility of any home control interface. Like your cell phone or other portable devices it does need to be charged on a regular basis. iPad and iPhone software developers are quickly taking note and creating a multitude of home control apps, to even further expand the capabilities of home control. Click here to learn more about home automation apps on the iPad and iPhone.
Keypads - Keypads are a simple, but cost effective type of interface that compliments homes needing intelligent lighting and shading control at multiple zones. They can range from simple on/off switches to multiple options based on events (entertaining, dining, movies, etc). With keypads you lose many advanced features, but they are extremely easy to operate and maintain.If you or someone you know would like more information on what you read here or have any questions, feel free to call our office at (415) 456-7000, send me an email or visit our website today.
6 Awesome iPad and iPhone Apps for Home Automation
The iPad and iPhone are singlehandedly changing the world of home automation. With its ease of use, popularity and unmatched usability, software developers are jumping at the opportunity to develop home control apps. Here are a few of the very best apps we’ve found for ipad and iphone home automation.Crestron – Crestron Mobile Pro puts the critically acclaimed Crestron touchpanel user interface right on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, enabling all kinds of customizable control features. Expect the same high level of performance you’re used to with Crestron home control, but completely mobile.
DVR Remote – Forget to schedule your DVR to record your favorite show? No problem. Set up the recording while you’re at the office, on vacation, or anywhere else. DVR Remote is designed for TiVo Series3 DVRs. Also note that there are apps for DirecTV, DISH Network, AT&T and more.Lutron Home Control – This app allows you to interface with your RadioRa 2 lighting control system over a wifi network. Lutron also offers a Homeworks Light control app that can connect to your Homeworks system lighting control system over WiFi, Edge or even 3G network.Sonos Controller for iPhone – This app is a full-fledged Sonos Controller that works over your home WiFi network. Simply touch the screen to pick a room, point and flick to choose a song, and hit play to enjoy.Off Remote - Off Remote is a simple app that can tell your computer to Sleep, Restart, Lock and Hibernate or turn off. It’s designed to work on any computer in your local network. Great for energy management.Sherwin Williams Color Snap – This handy little app isn’t necessarily a home control app, but is very useful for the planning stages of a home theater remodel. With Color Snap you simply snap a picture from your iPhone of a wall or decoration and the app matches the closest Sherwin Williams paint color. From there you can create a custom color palette.If you have experience with any of these or other home automation apps please feel free to share!
The iPad and iPhone are singlehandedly changing the world of home automation. With its ease of use, popularity and unmatched usability, software developers are jumping at the opportunity to develop home control apps. Here are a few of the very best apps we’ve found for ipad and iphone home automation.
Crestron - Crestron Mobile Pro puts the critically acclaimed Crestron touchpanel user interface right on your iPhone, iPad oriPod touch, enabling all kinds of customizable control features. Expect the same high level of performance you’re used to with Crestron home control, but completely mobile.
DVR Remote – Forget to schedule your DVR to record your favorite show? No problem. Set up the recording while you’re at the office, on vacation, or anywhere else. DVR Remote is designed for TiVo Series3 DVRs. Also note that there are apps for DirecTV, DISH Network, AT&T and more.
Lutron Home Control – This app allows you to interface with your RadioRa 2 lighting control system over a wifi network. Lutron also offers a Homeworks Light control app that can connect
The iPad and iPhone are singlehandedly changing the world of home automation. With its ease of use, popularity and unmatched usability, software developers are jumping at the opportunity to develop home control apps. Here are a few of the very best apps we’ve found for ipad and iphone home automation.Crestron - Crestron Mobile Pro puts the critically acclaimed Crestron touchpanel user interface right on your iPhone, iPad oriPod touch, enabling all kinds of customizable control features. Expect the same high level of performance you’re used to with Crestron home control, but completely mobile.DVR Remote – Forget to schedule your DVR to record your favorite show? No problem. Set up the recording while you’re at the office, on vacation, or anywhere else. DVR Remote is designed for TiVo Series3 DVRs. Also note that there are apps for DirecTV, DISH Network, AT&T and more.Lutron Home Control – This app allows you to interface with your RadioRa 2 lighting control system over a wifi network. Lutron also offers a Homeworks Light control app that can connect to your Homeworks system lighting control system over WiFi, Edge or even 3G network.Sonos Controller for iPhone – This app is a full-fledged Sonos Controller that works over your home WiFi network. Simply touch the screen to pick a room, point and flick to choose a song, and hit play to enjoy.Off Remote - Off Remote is a simple app that lets Sleep, Restart, Lock and Hibernate or turn off any or all computers in your local network. Great for energy managementSherwin Williams Color Snap – This handy little app isn’t necessarily a home control app, but is very useful for the planning stages of a home theater remodel. With Color Snap you simply snap a picture from your iPhone or iPod of a wall or decorations and the app matches the closest Sherwin Williams paint color. From there you can create a custom color palette.
to your Homeworks system lighting control system over WiFi, Edge or even 3G network.
Sonos Controller for iPhone – This app is a full-fledged Sonos Controller that works over your home WiFi network. Simply touch the screen to pick a room, point and flick to choose a song, and hit play to enjoy.
Off Remote - Off Remote is a simple app that lets Sleep, Restart, Lock and Hibernate or turn off any or all computers in your local network. Great for energy management
Sherwin Williams Color Snap – This handy little app isn’t necessarily a home control app, but is very useful for the planning stages of a home theater remodel. With Color Snap you simply snap a picture from your iPhone or iPod of a wall or decorations and the app matches the closest Sherwin Williams paint color. From there you can create a custom color palette.
5 Reasons Why We Love Pandora Internet Radio
Here at SoundVision HQ we all agree that Pandora is one of the best ways to get our daily music fix. We assembled our top 5 reasons why it’s among our preferred choices for internet radio.1. Intelligent, Personalized Radio Stations
Pandora radio puts the control in your hands by giving you the ability to create your own personalized music stations based on your favorite artists. The Pandora software analyzes your artist preferences to produce a completely individualized station. The detailed musical analysis stems from the results of the Music Genome Project. According to Pandora the Music Genome Project was started to“Capture the complex musical DNA of songs using a large team of highly-trained musicians.”As far as control, Pandora allows users to pause or skip songs. There’s also the ability to give a song or artist a thumbs up or thumbs down and even bookmark songs for future reference. For those that want even more options, Pandora has advanced features for combining multiple stations, adding variety, deleting songs from a station, and even sharing a station with a friend.2. Its FreeThat’s right; Pandora is indeed a free service. However, there are few upgrade options available for those that want even more advanced features. The free service limits its users to 40 hours a month. If you happen to go over 40 hours, it only costs $.99 to receive unlimited listening for the remainder of that calendar month. Not a bad deal considering their vast library of artist and songs.For $36/year you can also upgrade to Pandora One. This upgrade features unlimited listening hours, zero advertising and higher quality streams.3. Mobile Music
If you’re looking for music on the go, Pandora is a terrific option. Imagine having an entire library of music on your smartphone without the hassle of syncing hundreds of hours worth of music. With Pandora, it’s all streamed and works with most current smartphones including the iPhone, Android, Blackberry, and much more. Here’s a full list of compatible phones.4. Easy Home Theater Integration Pandora radio isn’t just tied to computers or phones. These days, Pandora is available on a staggering array of devices. Some of the most popular devices include iPads, Blu-Ray players, Sonos audio systems, internet-ready receivers, and much more. Each device makes great use of Pandora’s intuitive interface and control options. Here’s a full list of compatible devices.5. Artist Profiles
Users get access to bios, pictures, and discographies for artists played on Pandora. This is a neat little feature for anyone wanting to get a brief history lesson on any particular artist or album. It’s a handy tool for discovering new artists as their played on your custom stations.Pandora is truly one of the best services out there for internet radio. Between the large selection of devices that support it and the shockingly intelligent engine driving the software, Pandora radio is a service you take advantage of.
The World of Hidden Televisions
Occasionally we hear from customers who are interested in integrating HDTVs into their living room, den, or bathroom, but are concerned about a large TV shifting the focal point of the room in an undesirable way. Situations like this are great candidates for hidden televisions.ArtscreensA common request for hidden TVs comes from homeowners who have a fireplace in their living room. Simply mounting a bulky TV above the fireplace has the potential to disrupt the ambiance or charm of the room. This calls for a bit of creativity and this is where Artscreens really shine. Imagine, instead of a TV mounted front and center, there’s a framed reprint from your favorite artist. When it comes time for your favorite show a simple click of a button on your wireless remote triggers the canvas to roll up and unmasks a fully functional 1080p display. Artscreen manufacturer, Vutec offers an impressive library of fine art canvases and frames to choose from.
This is an Artscreen installation montage illustrating how the canvas rolls up to reveal an LCD display.
TV Mirrors
An example of a Seura TV mirror installed in a bathroom
Another option that’s touted as the cutting edge of technology and style is the Seura line of TV Mirrors. TV mirrors are an innovative concept that merges a mirror and an LCD TV together into one unit. The LCD display is actually contained within the mirror and becomes completely invisible when powered off. We find that this is another great solution for home theater enthusiasts interested in maintaining their home’s aesthetic appeal while utilizing the latest home entertainment technology. Alternatively, TV Mirrors can offer a slick solution to bringing a slice of the home theater experience to a bathroom or bedroom with a minimal footprint. Motorized TV LiftsEvery so often we hear from customers who want their TVs completely hidden without a trace. In this scenario we often utilize Auton motorized TV lifts. With motorized lifts installed, customers have the ability to extend, lower, and swivel their TV from within a cabinet, wall, or ceiling into plain site.
This is a photo montage illustrating a motorized TV lift installation by SoundVision. The display is mounted on a Lift tech motorized lift inside the cabinet. The lift raises the TV out of the cabinet and can swivel and rotate all via remote control.
Hidden ProjectorsHidden projectors and screens arguably have the biggest impact in a home theater setup and certainly create quite a buzz. When engaged, the projector and screen lower from the ceiling. When paired with in-wall and in-ceiling speakers it reveals a complete home theater system. The best part about this setup is that it can theoretically turn any capable room into a complete home theater without modifying the décor or furniture.
This is a photo montage of a hidden projector and motorized screen installation by SoundVision.
If you or someone you know would like more information on what you read here or have any questions, feel free to call our office at (415) 456-7000, send me an email or visit our website today.
Digital Audio Compression Formats Made Simple
In the world of digital audio compression there seems to be mountains of info and technical jargon surrounding all the various file formats and compression algorithms to convert your music. Our aim with this guide is to offer solutions for converting your music collection and get it sounding great with your integrated audio systems.What is a Compression Algorithm?
To simply put it, a compression algorithm is the software or method of compression that converts audio or video into file formats. Compressing audio files reduces the amount of storage space necessary.
Okay, than what is the file format?
File formats are typically associated with media player software. For example “.mov” file is for QuickTime, a “.wmv” file is for Windows Media Player, and an Mp3 file is for….. you guessed it, an Mp3 player.
Compressed Audio Types
In digital audio there are two main categories of compression algorithms: lossy and lossless.Lossy: Lossy compression algorithms significantly reduce the file size by crunching info that is considered “less-essential”. The upshot of this loss in file size is a noticeable hit in audio quality.Lossless: Lossless compression algorithms s are able to compact the info without losing any information. This method does reduce the file size, but not nearly as much as a lossy compression.
Converting Audio
While there are many options for converting audio, here are the free software packages that we recommend.
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