LED Lights are cool!

Rob — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:42:12 +0000

Just a single row of RGB LED lights can really change the look of a room. LED light strips like the one in the pictures below are mainly used to create ambiance in a room. Add them above or below the counters in the kitchen. Put them behind your TV or theater screen for a really cool look that will also help relieve eyestrain. Line your bookshelves with cool to the touch lighting that won’t damage your books or knick knacks. Install them outside and your holiday lighting is done forever.

These LED light strips are also available in white and all weather. Various control interfaces are available. Call us for a free quote.

Do you suffer from the CSI Effect?

Rob — Mon, 14 May 2012 14:33:54 +0000

In an article from IP Video Market, the author writes about the top 4 end user video surveillance complaints: low light performance, too expensive, too complex and my personal favorite – unrealistic expectations or the CSI Effect.

Various procedural TV programs show amazing things being done with forensics and video surveillance footage, but we should not expect to see that in real life.

A residential video surveillance system can do some pretty cool things if it is planned properly and the right equipment is installed. To get the best out of your surveillance system you should know 4 things – what you want the camera to cover, the lighting conditions at night, the length of time you want the DVR to record, and how you want to access the DVR footage (TV, Computer, Smart Device). This basic information will help your integrator design the right surveillance system for you.

Berkeley Ridiculously Automated Dorm (BRAD)

Rob — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:13:58 +0000

This is what one creative college freshman thought up using some very basic automation gear.

Pretty Cool, Huh? Now imagine what a trained professional can do with your home by using Control4 or RTI or Lutron Lighting systems. Party Mode All Day Long!

What is Home Automation?

Rob — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:46:01 +0000

Simply put it is the automation of your home’s various subsystems. Check out the video below to see what can be done with home automation.

Bright Room? Big Screen? No Problem!

Rob — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:57:03 +0000

Do you having a living room or a game room that you want to put a big theater screen but still want to have the lights on for other activities? Or does the room where you want your theater have too many windows making it too bright. Check out this combo of a Screen Innovations Black Diamond Zero Edge screen and an Epson 6010 projector for a great solution.

Mid-Fi Is the New Hi-Fi Gear Gadgets: GQ.com

Rob — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 17:16:27 +0000

This is good article about something we have been saying for years – your music should be played on good quality gear not a wimpy iPod dock or even ear buds. You also do not have to spend a lot to get a decent set up.

Mid-Fi Is the New Hi-Fi Gear Gadgets: GQ.com.

Highlights From CES – Cool New TVs

Rob — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:15:40 +0000

The Consumer Electronics Show or CES just ended in Las Vegas. At this show, major electronics manufacturers try to wow the crowd by debuting new products and new technology. LG set the bar high this year with two new TVs. First they introduced the largest OLED TV and it is only 4mm thin! OLED stands for Organic Light Emitting Diode. This new TV technolgy will create larger, thinner, brighter, and more energy efficient TVs. LG also introduced an 84″ Ultra Definiton TV. Ultra Definition is twice the resolution High Definition. Check out the video below for more information.

LG OLED and 84″ Ultra Definition 3D TV at CES 2012 from Dave the Gadget Guy on Vimeo.

Great Caesers’s Ghost and Speaking of Roman Shades

Rob — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:01:51 +0000

Having automated systems in your home can be very beneficial. A programmable thermostat better regulates the temperature of your home throughout the day. A lighting control system can reduce your electrical costs by keeping the lights dimmed by 15 percent or more. Exterior lights on motion sensors and timers provide an extra level of security. You may not know that shades, drapes, and even blinds can also be automated. Imagine the convenience of pressing a single button to raise and lower the shades in a single room or the whole house. The shades can be automated to raise and lower at specific times of the day or even follow the arc of the sun across the sky. An automated motorized shade system will provide greater security and privacy as well as help to lower your heating and cooling costs.

Shades-Drapes from Sound Ideas Home Theater on Vimeo.

Lighting Control – Shades and Drapes

Rob — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 20:57:52 +0000

Lighting control in a home is much more than dimming the lights inside. It also means controlling the light coming from outside of your home – the light from the sun. By using motorized shades, drapes and blinds you can reduce your heating and cooling costs, add to the elegance and decor of your home, reduce the glare on your TV, and preserve the finish on your fabrics and furniture.

Pairing motorized shades and home automation creates a convenient way to raise and lower the shades in a single room or the whole house. It also enhances the safety and security of your home. Press a button as you leave to lower all the shades and restrict the view into your home when you are not there. Place the shades on an astronomical clock to raise and lower themselves at a specific time of day.

The following video is an example of a few shading solutions we did for clients. In it you will see some examples of shades, drapes and roman shades in action. In future videos we will showcase each individual style and go into more detail about it.

Lutron Shades & Drapes from Sound Ideas Home Theater on Vimeo.

From Big Box to Flat Panel: Another Cabinet Modification

Rob — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 20:31:55 +0000

It is a common problem. The cabinet in your living room was built for an older TV and you are ready to upgrade to a flat panel TV. What do you do? Call Sound Ideas! Our client had an existing cabinet custom built for a 65″ rear projection TV. The cabinet had a front piece built so that only the TV screen showed. They wanted to upgrade to a 65″ flat panel.

First we removed the old TV. That left us with this giant opening. The width of the cabinet allowed for a 65″ flat panel, but we needed a way to mount it. We also needed to cover all the empty space below the TV.

Next we built a false back and painted it black. We installed this inside the cabinet to mount the flat panel.

Then we designed a new front panel and matched the existing cabinet’s paint to achieve this fantastic final result. Some cabinets require a lot of work, some require only a little. If you are ready to upgrade your TV, let us look at modifying your existing cabinet to acommodate it.