In the last five to ten years, the home theater industry got a lot right. High definition video has become readily available, and for the most part, a standard, with most mainstream channels broadcasting in HD. Surround sound has enabled new levels of realism, and the dream of a real movie theater experience at home became well within reach of millions of people. Today, the latest in home theater systems is built upon these advances to merge the home theater into the fabric of family life. The result is a more networked place where families can enjoy all types of media. Here are the four technologies that we think have changed everything.

One of the most important, but most overlooked, aspects of designing a commercial space is improving the way that the space sounds. It’s funny because at the core, we are a technology company, but one of the most effective things we can do to improve sound doesn’t involve wires, microchips or speakers. Well at least not directly. What it does involve is controlling the way that sound behaves in a fixed space with the use of acoustic sound panels.

Today we’re constantly moving and meeting goals. We live in Multi-task Nation where everything is a click or a swipe away. Our consistent need for our digital interfaces to be faster, clearer, and better practically outpaces the technology that supports us. With all that instant gratification and communication, as well as the ever-increasing demands of work and family, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and forget about some of the little things. Those little things that help keep you grounded, like listening to your favorite music.

We just finished a major renovation for the DoubleTree Hotel in the Westshore area of Tampa. The goal was to replace the worn out and dated room combining/sound system with something newer.

The journey to becoming an audio video systems specialist is an uncommon one. The first step is made not out of necessity but out of curiosity. The creative but disorganized young mind of the future specialist is exposed to a beautiful sound, perhaps details in a recording he’d never heard before, a simpler way to control his home system, or a unique application of technology that captures his imagination. From this moment on, the future specialist has laser focus knowing that the only satisfactory way he will ever earn a living is by designing and building these complex systems. 

I am on a constant quest to make my portable music sound better. Unfortunately, that sometimes involves large sums of money or an inconvenience to simplicity of use. However, every once in a while you find a true gem, a diamond amongst the coal that is the modern music listening landscape. The AudioQuest Dragonfly is just that. It’s something that costs very little for the amount it gives in return.

The home network has come a long way from it's simple beginnings. From even as recently as a year or two ago, the AV related data we move over the network has increased significantly. At first, the home network was used mostly for accessing the internet or downloading music files. Then as time moved on and technology progressed we started seeing streaming music and video services such as Pandora and Netflix.

The boardroom is usually the last room that is considered when the office is being updated, yet is most often the 'war room' or 'creative birthplace' and influences the office culture. Does your staff have a central location that is used for meetings other than the boardroom- or is it missing altogether? Companies have come to realize that boardrooms are vitally important to the productivity and profits of the organization, so much so that even airlines now offer use of boardrooms in the airport terminal!

Once upon a time a good control system for your AV room could cost you as much as the system you wanted to control. With the advent of devices like the iPad and the Android Tablets customers will now have far more options.

However, before we get to that lets talk about why you need a control system. There is nothing more embarrassing then being in front of a group and not being able to put on a presentation that you planned, because the equipment will not work. Skimping on a control system potentially leaves you open to this embarrassing situation. Most of this is avoidable. 

AV Specialists has been offering AV solutions to commercial, corporate, and residential clients in the Tampa Bay area since 1995. When we moved into our current facility in 2008, we never dreamed that we would outgrow our space. But we have, and we are excited to announce that on Saturday April 26th, 2014 we started our move to a new, larger facility at 1163 N. Hercules Ave, Clearwater, Florida 33765.

There are as many opinions about what constitutes a good audio speaker as there are music listeners in the world. Still, some audio technology companies have significantly differentiated themselves from the rest of the industry with their dedication to providing the very best speaker lines. Here are just two of our favorite brands and a few of their products:

The medical field demands the very best technology. While this need is most pronounced in diagnostic and treatment equipment, it is also crucial in the area of communication. The right cath lab and operating room AV can provide a host of specific benefits that will help ensure that the patients receive the very best of care. Here's how:

We have done several procedure rooms also known as cath lab intercom systems in the greater Tampa Bay area. All of the systems have been similar yet slightly different. Some systems were just some simple intercoms with communication between the doctor and the lab technicians. Other systems were intercoms integrated with a very good sound system. In most all of our systems the intercom system is handled by using Tech Works line of intercom products. Tech Works has a great reputation in the industry and their products have worked out extremely well for us.

I arrived a little late to Church this past Easter morning. Needless to say, being late to church on Easter Sunday relegates you to the back, which is fine. Unless, of course, you're straining to hear what's going on up front - which I was. Being an audio video or AV guy, I knew that it's really not the size of the church or hall you are in but more importantly, it's making sure you've addressed the following factors for an optimal church audio visual experience. Here's a short checklist of a few things you can look at to make sure you are delivering your message the best you can:

Conference room audio visual systems have finally become a viable option for business meetings. In their infancy video conferences were considered by some to be a sketchy and risky proposition. That is no longer the case. Today's state of the art video conferencing systems incorporate a variety of technological advantages to produce crystal clear audio and video suitable for any meeting or conference environment.

We’re not in Kansas Anymore

Remember the moment when Dorothy first saw the Land of Oz? If you've ever seen the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz, it's a moment that's probably etched in your mind forever - the moment when Judy Garland looks around wide-eyed and says, "Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore!"

That sense of amazement and surprise is something everyone can relate to - especially those who have experienced the changes taking place in today's world of conference room technology and audio visual equipment. What kind of changes are we talking about? Well there's the...

Imagine being able to control every electronic component – this means lights, music, appliances and even the “smart” locks on your front and back doors! – of your home whether you are there or not. With a Control4 home automation system and the technological wonder of wireless connectivity, you can do these things and more. In fact, not only will the Control4 home automation system enhance your home and work life but also add comfort, convenience and peace of mind while saving you a good deal of money. Here are just a few of the ways how:

It’s been a long time since we’ve been this excited about a new product around here. However Control4 is one of those products, that the more you learn about the Control4 system the more you love it. I know you’re probably saying to yourself, what’s the big deal there certainly is no shortage of remote control products out there. Especially these days. And.. if you said that you would be correct. These days there are apps for smart phones, there are cheap poorly conceived products (ie ones that begin with an H or L), and then there are the big names that have been long established in the AV industry. However in many ways Contro4 is different and it’s different than each of those categories list above in different ways.

The newest version of the Crestron iPad™ app is available from the iTunes® App Store, where it has been ranked the #1 Top Grossing Lifestyle App. This update includes landscape rotation and gestures navigation on the iPad for both Crestron and Prodigy® control systems. A beautiful graphic template with user-selectable backgrounds designed especially for the iPad is available free from the Crestron website, and there are also infinite possibilities for customization. Dealers can create their own branded designs and clients can enjoy the same look and feel on their iPad as on their Crestron touchpanels thanks to Crestron tablet integration.

Using Murfie (streaming Service) to Sync your record collection 

What is Murfie?

If asked to name the most popular streaming service, I am sure most people would say Pandora. I would guess most people that like to listen to music have heard of Pandora, Rhapsody and maybe even Spotify. These services are great because they allow you to listen to music on the go or at home without having to have the physical media, but what if you don’t want to start collecting music from scratch? What if you want to digitize your existing music collection?