Under Control?

Inside his renovated home, our eager homeowner searches for the lighting control panel he expected to find near the entry. Scanning the darkened foyer, he recalls the controls expert assuring him he would never return to an unlit home… So much for that. When he finds the panel (behind the door), he's still lost as he scrolls through seemingly endless menu options before ultimately stumbling on the lighting controls. But the trouble doesn't end there, as the labels are incomprehensible. So, he tries a switch called ‘front room’, and the outside lights come on. The switch labeled ‘stairs’ finally illuminates the entry.

Sadly, this scenario is all too common. Our hapless homeowner would have been better served with an electronics system consultant programming the lighting functions, making them easy to understand and control. From placement of control panels to simple construction of menus, a consultant partner can program a home automation system that makes managing your home easier and less expensive. A more intuitive approach leads to better and easier outcomes. Clearly, our homeowner in the above example didn't seek that as an option.

A true electronic systems contractor consultant functions as a partner and recommends solutions that enable the project to remain under budget while still accomplishing all its goals. Armed with a thorough understanding of how you use your lighting, an electronic systems contractor can ensure that panels end up where they should and that labels and levels match the homeowner’s expectations and needs.

For more information on lighting solutions, follow these articles (1 and 2) or contact a sales representative at 760-931-9922.

Super Bowl Syndrome

Everyone needs a new TV for the big game, whether it’s to watch celebrities like Ozzy Osbourne and Justin Bieber awkwardly interact in yet another legendary commercial or to watch famous attendees feed each other (thank you Cameron Diaz and Alex Rodriguez). So, shoppers flood the big box stores to find themselves staring at countless televisions with repetitive images. Relating these devices to a family's needs requires more than cursory examination. So, the smart shopper researches televisions leading to confusion over acronyms like LED, LCD, 3D, plasma, CRT, DLP, ICBM and FDIC. All of this information can overwhelm a shopper before he or she even enters the store.

Shoppers tend to rely on the knowledgeable associates who, they believe, will be ready to untangle the technology and confusing advertising claims for them. Although sales associates are indeed knowledgeable, all they really have at their fingertips are the two least helpful statistics available: the size of the screen and the price. There happens to be a great deal more to large screen televisions than screen size and price.

Scenarios like these, which result in regrettable choices, can be avoided by engaging the assistance of electronic systems contractors. Experienced A/V consultants protect clients by asking questions of substance; questions about the size and configuration of the room in which the TV will sit, the viewing habits of those expected to use the device, and any other equipment it may need to accommodate will all be handled by A/V professionals.

Further, consultants like the professionals at Kiwi Audio Visual can typically source various brands of equipment and demonstrate enough expertise to help clients choose the best device while simultaneously staying under budget using the technological specs they are familiar with.

The iPad Doesn't Program Itself

Home automation experts praise the iPad as a home controller. You probably already know that. On the other hand, you probably also know that the reality falls short of the promises the experts have made. Cutting through the hype and noise became a full time job months ago.

To begin with, the iPad has plenty to recommend it as a home control device. The form factor makes it ideal for wall mounting as well as moving effortlessly around the home. The on board battery allows for long term operation, and the touch screen shares the ease of use and accuracy of its smaller cousins on the iPhone and iTouch.

The problems lie with the software. As a homeowner you want a system that consolidates all of your home control systems: HVAC, lighting, entertainment and security. Multiple vendors have introduced systems that do this, including Crestron, Savant and Home Controls, to name a few. But even with these systems you need to program the iPad to control your environment seamlessly. Some people have designed their own systems, which is fine if you can crank out code.

The short answer is that you’re going to need some help. The best home automation dealers also offer consulting guiding their clients in making these decisions. Ask about what you need now while considering what you'll need in the future. For the best results, look to Kiwi Audio Visual, who listens to your needs and has expertise in working with the latest technologies.

Everything Works At The Touch Of A Button? Which Button?!

They had been so friendly, so knowledgeable. They had delivered everything as promised, from the big-screen TV to the stereo and integrated lighting system.

Not a cord was in sight, not a piece out of place. Technological magnificence, just waiting for someone to sit down and turn it on.

“It all works”, they said, “at the touch of a button.”

Yeah, right, but… Which button?

You’d like your technology to work as expected. But it doesn’t, always. In fact, sometimes you might just wish for simpler days when a power button was a power button, and changing the channel was as easy as…

Getting up and walking across the room and twisting a knob on the TV?? NOT!!

Especially when Kiwi AV is there to assure you can easily use and enjoy the latest home systems – automated lighting and home energy management, entertainment, home networks, security. Sophisticated systems whose technological power is revealed, not by the difficulty of using them, but through the simple joy of experiencing them.

Experience the thrill of whole house audio and video distribution. Effortlessly control which sections of your house stream your favorite albums or have the movie you are watching follow you from your living room to your bedroom, without having to miss a single frame.

Kiwi can make just about anything you want to happen, happen. Even something that really does work…

At the touch of a clearly labeled button.

Experience Kiwi. For you, we’ll fly.

To find out more about home A/V distribution, check out this article.

Crestron's DM (Digital Media) System

Crestron has long been known in the electronics industry for supplying the best in both technology and innovation; the company has never been satisfied with simply following trends. Instead, it focuses on creating them, on thinking outside the box before anyone else has ever figured out just what the box looks like. Now, Crestron has once again created a solution intended to help audio and videophiles get the most from their systems - their line of Crestron Digital Media (DM) products. Intended to work with a wide variety of input types over a large range, the DM line of switchers and input cards helps homeowners to find a unified system that streamlines all applications through one simple-to-use console. The DM concept has proven popular - Microsoft, Time Warner, and ESPN all have Crestron systems working for them, as do Rice, Midwestern, and Ohio State Universities to name a few.


The DM Advantage - Getting Specific

New technology leads to innovation, but also to a reduction in support for signals of a previous generation. Not only that, but multiple media sources will often use different inputs and outputs, leaving a homeowner struggling to find an overall solution that minimizes cabling issues. Fortunately, the Crestron DM system is designed to deliver in a big way. Take the entry-level DM-MD6X1 as an example. The MD6X1 supports RGB, HDMI, multi-format BNC video and SPDIF audio. In addition, the HDMI input comes with support for HDCP and DVI. This gives the MD6X1 the ability to take input from virtually any source in a home - computer, laptop, cable, or satellite box - and effortlessly route it where it needs to be. Speaking of routing, the system also allows for extra inputs up to 450 feet away from the source box with extra DM transmitters, giving MD6X1 systems the power to perform both in residential homes and in large business complexes with equal facility. Now you can stream multiple video and/or audio sources across several rooms in your house; all in the highest quality with no lag time or distortion.


Tying It In - Using DM with Other High-Quality Products


Crestron's technology is such that it can broadly accept inputs from a variety of audio and video sources, giving a consumer and an electronics systems contractor the ability to create a full-home theater system from the ground up. No longer will you be limited from putting in a custom-built Triad or Prodigy sound system or a wide variety of both Plasma and LCD TV inputs. Ease of use is key for Crestron technology, as evidenced in their use of QuickSwitch technology when changing between HDMI signals. In order to minimize latency and lag time between signals, QuickSwitch ensures that an HDCP connection is maintained with each device in the system, meaning that no re-authentication of a new signal is necessary, greatly reducing lag experienced by users.


Crestron continues to push the home theater edge with innovations such as their DM system, helping to drive the entire industry forward. Visit our Website for more information on Crestron products.

Rack ‘em Up: Sliding Equipment Racks Versus Built-In Systems

Creating a home theater system for a custom-built home is equal parts skill, knowledge and creative drive for an electronic systems contractor. With high-quality products from lines like Crestron, Prodigy, Genesis and Runco, owners have a wide range of options to choose from when it comes to creating the system of their dreams.


While the focus is often on the technology contained in a system, it is important for both installation technicians and builders to consider the homeowner’s ease of access to the theater system itself, and this can take one of two forms – a sliding equipment rack or a built-in option.


Sliding racks typically use rails to allow electronic systems equipment to remain recessed when not needed, but pulled out and rotated when access is required. Built-in racks are intended to permanently house equipment that must be manually removed in order to be adjusted.


Both systems have their advantages - sliding racks come in a variety of sizes and strengths, and allow both home theater experts and builders to quickly diagnose and correct any problems. Built-in racks do not offer the same speed of access, but can be custom-created to suit a room’s décor or adjusted to meet a client’s expectations with the use of a skilled designer or tradesman.


Racks of both types can be a welcome, logistical addition to a home theater room; and which one is chosen can be based largely on client preference – speed or style.

Five Essential Factors for Custom Home Theater Design

Custom homebuilders are doing more work than ever, and thanks to readily available information on the Internet, homeowners have become a great deal savvier about what they want to see created in their custom homes. These builders must then obtain a range of skilled subcontracts, from plumbing and electrical to electronics systems contractors. Further, when it comes to high-quality theater system creation and installation, there are five things a professional technician can do to help.

Know: What, When, and Who

Builders have to operate on a timeline and within a certain framework laid out by the homeowner. An electronic systems contractor can assist in making sure a home is finished on time and on budget by doing three simple things. Those three things are: knowing what they are going to install, when it needs to be installed, and what assistance they are going to require in the home from other professionals.

For example, if a homeowner wants an A/V cabinet installed in a particular location in the home, a home theater technician can liaise with the framer to ensure that sufficient space is allotted. Technicians also work with electricians to make sure that enough outlets will be available for all of the necessary cabling and wiring that a home theater system will need.

Where and How: Important Up-front Considerations

In addition to working with other contractors in a home, a home theater programmer can also work with builders by providing information about: how much space will be needed for home theater equipment, where in the house it will be going, and how all of the equipment is going to be stored. Speaker dimensions are a key concern in building proper enclosures and obtaining maximum sound quality. Further, how this equipment will be stored – be it slide-out or built-in racks – can also make a difference when it comes to placing other features in the home.

Take architectural speakers as an example. Accommodating these speaker in a home will require proper ceiling wiring as well as room for housing, an element that a builder must be aware of prior to beginning work. Or, consider custom-made speakers by Triad – the company offers a range of custom-built speakers and housings that must have space allotted for them in the home.

In addition, electronic systems contractors must consider the need for cooling and ventilation of systems. Options like Runco 3D projectors or motorized TV lifts must be properly maintained in order to ensure smooth functioning, and a builder must know about such systems in advance to account for them.

By being upfront about what, when, who, where and how, an electronic systems contractor can help smooth the custom-home building process.

Triad Speakers – A Triple Threat In Custom Sound

High-quality speaker systems are about more than just the parts that go into them. A true custom solution for whole-home sound should be a top-of-the-line speaker designed with the end user in mind.

Triad has been making quality sound products for over 25 years and custom creates every speaker, amplifier, and subwoofer that leaves their Portland, Oregon factory. Over 95% of all Triad products are manufactured on North American soil.

Triad serves the premium sound industry by focusing on three key points:

1) Quality Construction

Instead of particle-board, the company uses high-grade MDF. Where wood screws might be used, Triad opts for brass fittings. Custom veneer and paint options are also available.

2) High-Fidelity Sound

Triad speakers aren’t intended to sound like “Triad speakers,” but to accurately represent and amplify the true nature of the sound being produced. Each Triad speaker, regardless of size or design, is intended to provide a near-perfect sound experience.

3) New Product Development

Triad is not satisfied with producing only for today – the company is on the cutting edge of sound technology as well. Their newest lines of DSP Subwoofers, PlateAmps and RackAmps offer between a full 300 and 1000 watts of power in the space of only a single rack, all for the same price as their previous generation of subwoofers.

Without compromise, Triad has advanced in the field of premium audio, as is evident in their construction, sound, and product development.

Runco’s WindowWall Offers More Than a Pretty Picture

Runco has long been known as a leader in the fields of high-quality home theater and whole-home entertainment; they have now taken their product line to the next level with the introduction of the WindowWall.

Intended to create a “unique visual lifestyle solution,” the WindowWall is a combination television and digital photograph display that can easily enhance the look and feel of any room in a home.

With an ultra-thin profile at only 7.3mm and a range of configuration options – 3x3, 2x2 and 5x4 faceted, to name a few – a Runco WindowWall is aesthetically pleasing to the eye and the home.

The WindowWall can display anything from still images to broadcast programming, and can also be set up for video conferencing. With a native resolution at 4098 x 2403 and scalable to 1080p and 720p, the WindowWall is able to accommodate any functional user need and return to a stunning still image when its video capabilities are not required.

Featuring Runco’s signature design and all-around quality, the WindowWall is a stunning choice for a homeowner looking to not only increase the visual functionality of their home, but also do so in a way that is both subtle and stylish.

With a myriad of installation options and customization configurations, the WindowWall is a step forward in the fusion of home theater function and the beauty and elegance of form – all backed by Runco, an industry and technology leader.

Smart and Savvy Homeowners - The Price of Perfection

For professional A/V installers, some of the best jobs available come from savvy and well-positioned homeowners - those clients that have the means and the desire to purchase high quality A/V products. As home theater systems become more powerful and easier to access, more and more wealthy homeowners are looking to create a theater-like experience in their homes, complete with features like specialty lighting, Runco 3D projection systems, and whole-home control panels.

Opportunity for Advancement – The Creation of a Custom System

The creation of a home theater system for tech-smart customers can be a significant milestone for a business, as a satisfied customer can mean free word of mouth advertising as well as reputation gains. The opportunity to build a high-quality system also gives an installation technician the chance to shine, to bring their skills at creation and artistry to the forefront. Many wealthy homeowners will have an idea of what they would like that goes beyond the simple “home theater” model and will speak to specific product lines such as Creston and their whole-home U-Panel control options, along with options such as Digital Media. Homeowners know what they want - the best - and options such as the new Creston line are both impressive and versatile.


Easy to Avoid Pitfalls – Making the Best of a New Client Relationship

First are the issues surrounding the quality of the products being installed. Techs need to be certain that they are using the exact products asked for, and if these are not available or cannot be used, they need to communicate why. It is, after all, the client's hard-earned money that is paying for the system, and it is in the best interest of both technician and homeowner to know exactly what types of products are being installed and when.

Next, be aware of questions concerning how products operate. A technician must be careful to confirm with homeowners what they expect from the system when it is finished. Often, technology companies advertise their products in such a way that they appear to be capable of more than they are. A professional technician will meet with the homeowner to discuss how the end system will look, as well as how it will perform when it is first utilized. A superior service technician will be able to craft a system that not only comprises the elements requested by a homeowner, but that also performs exactly as stated, bringing the theater experience directly into a home.

Communication as King – The Rise of the Savvy Homeowner

Technicians can easily ensure they side-step these problems by remembering that homeowners are now tech-savvy, and need only the basics of home theater details in order to understand their functioning. Superior communication gives techs the freedom they need to create a theater system that is a work of art while simultaneously providing homeowners with the peace of mind that they deserve.