Have you been considering turning your Tampa, Florida home into a “smart home”? If so, you’ve probably looked into all the ways to upgrade the different aspects of your home: HVAC, smart security, home audio video…the list goes on. Here at AV Specialists, we believe lighting control is a great starting point for smart home automation. Continue reading to learn why.
There are a lot of factors that go into a high-end private home theater installation. Room acoustics, seating, décor, lighting, and more all combine to create that cinematic experience right within your Clearwater, Florida home. One of the key components that differentiates a high-end theater from any basic media room is the video display. In this blog, we’ll show you how to set up your theater to make the most of your 4K Ultra HD display.
Audio equipment brands play a huge role in the quality and type of sound systems. Generic stereos may cut it for some people, but for true audiophiles, nothing beats the crystal clear tones of McIntosh. In this blog, we will cover the background of why McIntosh sound systems are held in such high esteem in the A/V community, then discuss which McIntosh products are a good starting point for your home in Tampa, Florida.
Since 1995, AV Specialists has been bringing the residents of Clearwater, Florida and beyond the best smart home automation solutions and services the industry has to offer. We’ve built our business on passion for home technology and incredible customer service. Control4 is certainly our top-recommended manufacturer for smart home systems. Not only are they easy to use, but they are also leading innovators – always offering new and improved products that are relevant to today’s generation. Here are a few of their newer features that we think you’ll love.
So you've got your home theater set up perfectly; impeccable surround sound speakers, first-rate audio receiver and amp, and integration with all of your input sources. But with every high quality component that you've purchased comes a remote. It's not uncommon to have more than five electronic components that are remote controlled, so if you're using five different remote control devices, you’re likely feeling frustrated and annoyed.
Last week Apple released the latest update of the operating system iOS 8. With that update as well as other updates in the past, there may be potential issues for your AV system. More and more it seems AV technology depends on network connectivity for both delivering music and video content as well as for control of the entire AV system. Each update or even the neglect of doing updates has the possibility to affect your experience.
Wouldn’t you love to enjoy movie nights and music-filled dinners on the patio or lawn? Imagine music wafting through the evening air—or catching the game while you cool off in the pool.
Accomplishing this goal, however, is not as easy as just installing the equipment and hoping for the best. As Floridians, we know that any outdoor event needs a weather contingency. But, if done right, your outdoor AV installation in Tampa can withstand the elements.
I came in early today to meet one of the crew for a job they had to start early. Once I got them going for the day and because I was already here at 5:30 a.m., I decided to stay and get some work done. Also, because I knew the phone wasn’t going to ring at that hour I could turn up the music and get lost in it.
When you want to use your brand new home theater system at its fullest potential, finding some good movies to take advantage of your surround sound is a great place to start. With a professional quality receiver from Marantz paired up with some Totem speakers, the only way to totally experience the system is to find a movie that was designed for thrills in the theater.
With all the new TV technology trends out there, it's easy to get caught up in the hype. When you're looking to get the most out of your home entertainment system, having the ability to stream content can be convenient, but there are several options from which to choose.
When you're looking to spend time outdoors enjoying the weather and your backyard setting, music is a must. With a well-planned system that can withstand erratic Tampa Bay weather patterns, you can create audio accompaniments for any outdoor activity. Here are a few things that you may want to consider when designing your outdoor sound system.
Today's homes are more technological than ever. Pools and spas, lighting, and even window coverings can be controlled with the push of a button. But, using multiple applications, and maybe even multiple devices to perform simple everyday tasks defeats the purpose of automation - convenience. Luckily, there's a better way to manage your increasingly high-tech home. Having various systems controlled by a consolidated home automation device allows you to control your home with ease.
With the birth of some exciting new TV technology trends and the likely death of others, 2014 is set to be a year of great flux for home entertainment. The AV industry is shaking off dead weight technologies, such as 3D televisions, that didn't end up being as revolutionary as some manufacturers expected, and replacing them with some truly innovative technology.
When designing a residential sound system, one simple mistake can drastically decrease your sound quality. You don't want to end up with a system that blows you out of the room, doesn't have the sound quality you were expecting, or does not put out the volume you were expecting, even with the volume turned all the way up. How do you avoid these mistakes? Here's a look at the some things you should never do: the worst residential sound system advice we've ever heard.
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.
With high-quality equipment uniquely designed for residential use, you can create a home theater for watching your favorite movies with unbelievable picture and sound in the comfort of your slippers. Whether you’re trapped in Jurassic Park, or running from a life-threatening boulder with Indiana Jones, you can achieve amazing things in terms of sound, picture, and atmosphere.
It's easy to focus on components, the perfect television, and other gadgets when designing your dream home theater, but any professional will tell you that one of the most important steps in making sure that your home theater is everything you want it to be is proper wiring.
With the NFL season fast approaching, it’s time to get your home ready with some of the latest equipment available to improve your gameday experience. If you’re looking to be the envy of your friends and neighbors, it’s important that you invest in the latest and greatest audio visual equipment. If you enjoy being the host of the party, you want to ensure that your guests have a great time. Technology has improved the gameday experience dramatically, especially over the last few years. From upgrades to televisions, surround sound, home automation and furniture, there are many ways you can guarantee your home becomes the place to be for premier sporting events.
The variety of devices that can be used through Control 4 technology is increasing exponentially. As demand grows, appliance, technology and entertainment producers are taking note. The statistics don’t lie. The average Control 4 home has 40 devices connected and some larger residences have over 250. Those that are new to home automation may not be aware of all of the devices that can be connected through Control 4. This technology is at the cutting edge of the industry and the options that consumers have will continually increase. Home entertainment, security and basic time savers are all becoming much easier with Control 4. Here are some of the features available in regards to entertainment and some new products you can purchase to take advantage of Control 4 home automation.
In the last few years, it has become anything but out of the ordinary for smart phones and tablets to be most people’s source of music. However, nothing can hold up to the pure sound quality of a home audio system. Since 1949, Mcintosh has been creating a legendary listening experience. Many famous musicians, recording artists and producers like the Greatful Dead, Earth, Wind and Fire and the Beach Boys have selected McIntosh audio systems for the rich quality of sound, to experience music the way it should be. The McIntosh founding fathers created a solid foundation based on sound business and scientific principles that continue to guide the company today and continue to provide stat of the art listening.
There are countless ways to utilize a home audio system in your home. Any room could benefit from a little McIntosh sound.
Control 4 offers the ultimate in home automation navigation. With several advancements and additional products becoming available, there are countless ways you can use this technology to make your life more relaxing, organized and secure. And let’s not forget about the fun you can have with Control 4 automation. With the ability to create different “scenes” that pair together the automation of several devices at once, personalized home automation is becoming reality. Here are some of our favorite ways to indulge in one of the great luxuries of the present, and future.