Audio

Today’s audio systems offer more options than ever, so understanding what’s out there and figuring out how to use it in your home can be overwhelming. Our general philosophy is as follows:

1. Music systems need to be able to play both content that you own (be in on CDs, your computer, your iPod, Vinyl, etc.) and streaming content over the internet (Pandora, Rhapsody, Audible.com, Podcasts, etc.)
2. Each room that has music should be independent from the other rooms so that rooms can be turned on and off individually, play different music simultaneous, and also play the same music simultaneously.
3. If you have multiple homes your music should automatically synchronize among them. If you purchase new content in the city, it should automatically load into the system in the country.
4. Using the system needs to be as simple as using an iPod, and in fact even better if it is done through an iPod App.

Video

We are at the tipping point for sources of programming. Or better put, we are at the worst of all worlds right now because there is an excess of content available, too many channels to get content, and not necessarily an easy way to share content among your devices. Our general philosophy is as follows:

1. Televisions need to be able to play programming from your cable/satellite company, from internet services (Netflix, Blockbuster, YouTube, Amazon Video On Demand, Apple, etc.)
2. Content recorded on one TV should be easily watchable on any of your other TVs.
3. TVs should be able to display your photos and other content on your computer.
4. Any of your content should be available to you over the internet so you can easily watch it while you’re not at home through your laptop, cellphone, or iPad.

Computers/ Networking

Computers and IT systems in the home present a number of interesting challenges that corporate IT types don’t typically realize. At a high level, we believe:

1. All computers need to have automatic back up systems because you never know when the cat will knock over your coffee on top of the computer.
2. The WiFi system has to cover the entire home, even the bathrooms and closets, because your iPhone and WiFi Bathroom Scale and WiFi alarm clock need to work wherever you put them.
3. All passwords, for logging in, and for parental controls need to be well documented and easily accessible for those middle-of-the-night new laptop setups.
4. Every computer needs to have up to date anti-virus software coupled with the appropriate firewall and network security.

Phone Systems

Given the ubiquity of cell phones, the use of a “phone system” has really changed over the last few years. We use them in the following ways:

1. One-touch handsfree intercom among the home.
2. Connecting to your doorbell so that you can always hear when someone is at the door, talk to them, and buzz them – and if you’re not home it calls you on your cellphone to let you know someone is at the door and possibly buzz them in.
3. Cordless phones with excellent reception throughout the house both for intercom and to cover for areas where cell phones don’t work.
4. Emailing of your phone messages to you for those people that don’t call you on your cell phone.

Lighting Control Systems/ The All Off Button

Lighting control systems are a fairly new technology that most people haven’t worked with before. We use them for the following reasons:

1. Having present lighting scenes – this not only reduces the clutter of multiple light switches, but allows us to customize which lights turn on/off and what brightness levels they automatically move to.
2. The “All Off” (or I’m leaving) button that turns off every light in the house. Sometimes this also closes the window treatments too.
3. Energy efficiency and lightbulb life – we program the systems to automatically turn off lights that were left on, to turn lights on and off gently so as not to shorten a lightbulb’s life by sudden power ons and power offs, and utilize motion sensors and other devices to automatically turn on lights when needed.
4. Control of your lights through other means – lights that automatically turn on when you drive into your driveway, lights that you can turn on or off through your cellphone , and lights that automatically dim when you turn on your television.