A Guide to Whole House Audio

If you want to listen to music in every room of your house, whole-house audio is the way to go. It’s incredibly popular, but many people don’t know how to set it up. In fact, a lot of people don’t even know what “whole-house audio” is.

Our guide to whole house audio will walk you through the process of setting up this type of audio system in your home and help you decide which options are best for you.

Whole House Audio Explained

What is whole-house audio? It is the best way to play music throughout your house without having to buy a sound system for every room. You can play music and other audio sources such as movies, sports games, or the morning news through your whole house with just one audio system.

If you’ve heard of whole house audio before, you may have heard it referred to as multi-room or multi-zone audio. All of these terms refer to the same thing, which is basically a system that plays music (or other audio) through multiple rooms, or zones in your house. A multi-zone system lets you play one audio source through numerous speakers in your home. But, if you want to play different music in each room, your system will also need to be multi-source.

With a whole house audio system, you can play different audio sources through your home all at the same time. For example, you might play your favorite music in the living room and dining room, while playing the ball game in the hallway and bedrooms.

A whole house audio system can be installed professionally, or by using DIY methods. We don’t recommend DIY, but you can set up your own multi-zone audio system by using multiple audio components and speakers to play music throughout your home.

We’re going to explain how to set up a whole house audio system in your home. We’ll start by looking at the DIY methods and then explain why a professional installation is generally the best option.

Planning Your Whole House Audio System

Before you start planning out your audio system, you first need to decide how many audio sources you want to connect to your system. Do you just want to be able to play music through your system, or would you like it to connect to your TV and streaming devices as well?

Once you’ve figured out how many audio sources you want to connect to your audio system, then you must decide how many zones you want to have. A zone can be a room or any area of your home that you want to be able to play music in. A multi-zone/multi-source system allows you to connect to several audio sources and then send these sources to speakers in different areas of your home.

DIY Whole House Audio Systems

If you want to do it yourself, there are a few ways to do it. Some options are more difficult than others, but most require a solid understanding of audio components and wiring. If you have a small budget and aren’t a pro, you may want to go the DIY route.

Smart speakers

The easiest and most affordable option is to purchase smart speakers. There are tons of smart speakers to choose from. This won’t give you the sound quality or features of a professional system, but you can simply purchase smart speakers and connect them to your wifi. Then, you should be able to play music through all the connected speakers in your home.

Wireless multi-room audio system

You can purchase a wireless multi-room audio system. There are many brands selling multi-room systems. Sonos is one of the more well-known and respected brands of wireless multi-room audio systems. These systems are easy to use and include everything you need in one complete system.

Keep in mind if you go with this option, you may not be able to upgrade your setup down the road. They usually come with a set of speakers that only work as part of their system. So, if you want to add speakers to it later, they may not work with it.

Multi-zone/multi-source receiver and speakers

If you already have a receiver, you can simply add more speakers to it. This won’t give you the functionality of a whole house audio system, but it will allow you to play music in several areas of your home.

Another option is to buy a multi-zone/multi-source receiver. This may be difficult to set up and not recommended for beginners. You will need to be sure the receiver is multi-zone and supports multiple sources. You will also need to buy compatible speakers. If you want your system to play in more than 2 or 3 areas of your home, however, this option won’t work.

To Have the Best Experience in Whole House Audio Work with the Pros at Intuitive AV

We are experts in home audio systems and we’re also fully licensed and insured. Wiring an audio system is complicated and can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing.

A professionally installed system is really the best option for whole house audio. Although you can set up a basic audio system using some of the DIY methods above, if you want your system to play music through your entire home and not just one or two rooms, you will need a professional to help you.

We understand that the aesthetics of your home is as important as the sound quality of your system. We can install your whole house audio system, and incorporate hidden in-wall speakers or ceiling speakers to make sure your home looks and sounds amazing when we’re done. We can even integrate it with a home automation system if you’re ready to have the best experience in luxury, convenience, and immersive sound.

If you’re ready to experience whole house audio in your home, contact us today at (770) 317-7016 to get started.

Take Your Home Theater to the Next Level with Smart Automation

If you are considering upgrading your home theater, there are a lot of options available. You might want to buy a bigger TV or improve your sound system. Or perhaps you want to add some extra lighting. All the options can make it tough to decide. But if you really want to take your home theater to the next level, smart home automation is something you should definitely consider. We’re going to go over some of the amazing things it can do to level up your home theater.

Let’s start by talking about the viewing experience. If you want to enjoy a cinematic experience, you need the best lighting and screen. We can help you select the best television or projector for your space, and optimize your viewing experience. Then, depending on the size of your room and your budget, we can help you create an immersive and realistic theater experience using home automation.

Create the Perfect Movie-Watching Setting

Want to have the perfect setting for watching movies? With smart home automation you can program scenes that happen automatically with the push of a button or a voice command. Set the scene for watching movies by programming your lights to dim automatically with a simple voice command like, “start the movie”.

You can make this scene even better by adding additional automation. For example, if your theater room has windows, adding motorized shades to your room can give your theater an amazing touch. Program the blinds to lower when you say “start the movie”. This will make your home theater feel just like the movie theaters – and maybe even better.

Level Up Your Theater Room Lighting

When you watch movies in the theater, the room is completely dark. This gets rid of any glare from the lights and creates a more vibrant display. This is the ideal setting for watching movies. But when you’re at home, turning all the lights off can make it hard to see if anyone needs to get up to use the bathroom or get more popcorn.

One way to create a movie-theater-like experience is to add LED strip lights to the floor. These lights will illuminate the pathway between the seating area and the entrance. This way, your guests can find their way back to their seats when the room is dark.

You can automate any of the lighting for your theater. You have complete control of the ceiling lights and floor lights, and you can even adjust the speed at which they dim. When the movie is done, you can slowly make them bright again so that everyone’s eyes have time to adjust.

Hide the Speakers and Television

If you use your home theater room for other activities like playing pool or games, you might not want a big television taking the spotlight. Consider adding hidden speakers or a hidden TV. Your television can be mounted to your ceiling with an automatic lift. This way you can lower it using home automation when you’re ready to watch television or hide it when you’re not using it.

There are also really cool art-hide televisions that disguise your television as a mirror or artwork. This is a great option for people who use their theater room for other things besides watching movies.

Listen to Your Movie Through Your Whole House

Never miss a minute of your movie, sports game, or other event. Consider adding a whole-house audio system. It’s not just cool for watching movies or listening to music, it’s great for entertaining as well. Whole house audio is a sound system that plays any connected audio source throughout your entire home.

It’s not like an ordinary sound system. You can play the movie in different rooms of your home, such as the bathroom and the living room while playing something else for the kids.

Control Everything Through One System

If you have a lot of remote controls, you will love the simplicity of a Control4 system. A Control4 system is one of the best and easiest to use. You can use one remote to control all your electronic devices. This includes your home theater system, your shades, and the lighting in the room, allowing you to turn everything on with just one button.

The full power of the Control4 system can be extended to your entire home. It can control your lights, thermostat, security, and just about any electronic device in your home — all through one convenient control panel or an app on your phone.

Are You Ready to Take Your Home Theater to the Next Level?

If you’re interested in creating the ultimate home theater or home automation, Intuitive AV can help you get started. We’ll work with you to design a home theater tailored to your needs. Let us bring your ideas to life. Contact us today at (770) 317-7016 to learn more.

5 Spooky Smart Home Halloween Ideas that Kids will Love

Halloween is right around the corner. Why not use your smart home to create the spookiest house on the block? Using your Control4 system and a few little tricks, you can create a spooky atmosphere that will amaze the kids and impress the whole neighborhood.

You already have a lot of the devices you need to make your house the most fun on the block for trick-or-treaters. Using your home automation system and a few tips from us, you’ll be able to create a scary show with lighting and sound effects from your favorite scary movies. You can also create spooky and fun surprises for kids in every dark corner of your yard.

Here are a few spooky smart home Halloween ideas that the kids will love!

Spooky-Up Your Doorbell!

To give your home a spooky feel, ditch the typical doorbell sounds and use scary ones instead. There are tons of options available. You can choose from various screams, a witch’s cackle, howls, creaky doors, ghosts or even songs like the “Monster Mash.” The easiest way to do this is to replace your doorbell’s chime with one of these scary sounds on Spotify or another music streaming platform..

When trick-or-treaters visit your home, you will be ready for them. If you want to create a little mystery and fun, you can even use your cameras and intercom system to interact with them.

Set up an Automated Halloween Candy Shoot

Surprise the kids with an extra treat, and set up a Halloween candy shoot. This is incredibly easy to do and you can automate it too. All you need is a photo shipping tube (you can order this on Amazon or any shipping supply store). Then decorate it in Halloween colors. You could paint it orange and string purple or black Halloween lights around it. Or, add paint it black and cover it in Halloween stencils or stickers.

Then, you can use your Control4 4sight subscription to set up a when>>then personalization to create a simple Halloween automation. Use an extension cord or smart plug to connect your lights to your home automation. Then program the Halloween lights to automatically light up when the door bell rings. When you drop the candy down the shoot, the kids will be thrilled!

Light up Your Front Porch with Color Changing Light Bulbs

Smart lighting is a great way to trick-out your home for Halloween. You can buy color changing smart light bulbs and use them to illuminate the path to your door and create a creepy entrance.

Philips Hue has a ton of great options for outdoor Halloween lighting, from spotlights to strip lights. They also have a motion sensor that you can use to automate your lights. When kids walk by, the path automatically lights up.

Another option is to buy some Halloween themed string lights and plug them into smart plugs. You can connect them to your smart home system and automate them or turn them on and off with your phone when kids walk by.

Digital Decorate your Windows

If you haven’t heard of digital decorating, this is something you have to check out. Digital decorating is a new trend that kids — and adults love! AtmosFX offers a variety of spooky animations like ghosts, skeletons, and jack-o-lanterns that you can project onto a screen or wall..

You simply purchase a digital download. Then you can use a projector and screen to project the spooky animation on the screen. You can even play the download on a television. This would be a great way to use your outdoor television for Halloween. You could create a haunted backyard for the kids or have a killer Halloween party for the grownups.

Use Outdoor Smart Plugs to Automate Your Outdoor Halloween Decorations

You can use smart plugs to decorate your house for Halloween and to save money on electricity. Smart plugs are easy to install and set up. Just connect your smart lights or outdoor decorations to your smart plug and you’ll never have to worry about turning them all off manually. You can program them so that the lights automatically turn off at night, or whenever you want.

They’re also a terrific way to automate your smoke machine, digital decorations, or pop up Halloween inflatables. Just pair them with a motion sensor and let your home automation create the special effects. Kids and adults will love the way all of your outdoor Halloween decorations turn on and off like magic.

We’re the Experts in Home Automation

Whether you want to make your house the spookiest on the block for Halloween or have the most convenient home automation system ever, we can help. Contact us today at (770) 317-7016 to learn how to make your home a smart home.

4 Ways Your Business Can Benefit from Smart Technology

Businesses are always looking for more ways to generate more revenue, reduce expenses, and improve efficiency. Smart technology can help businesses do all three of these things. Adding smart technology such as smart lighting, smart security cameras, or an intelligent meeting system can help your business run more efficiently. This will save you money in energy costs and improve workplace productivity.

If you’ve never put much thought into smart technology, we’re going to explain a few ways your business can benefit from it.

Smart Lighting

One of the best ways to utilize smart technology for your business is to install a smart lighting system. No matter what kind of business you have, it is an easy way for you to implement smart technology. It will not only save you money, but it will provide better lighting for your retail store, restaurant, or office space.

Aside from the fact that lighting is essential for any business, lighting also affects how we feel. Have you ever noticed how your mood changes when it’s overcast and gloomy outside or how the sunshine brightens your day? Artificial light has been used to treat seasonal affective disorder and depression. It may improve the mood and energy of your employees. This in turn can make them happier and more productive. Your customers will also benefit from it, as it has been shown to affect buying habits.

Adding automated lighting to your office or workspace can save you money as it’s much more energy-efficient than traditional lighting. You can program your lights to turn off at times you don’t need them. Or, you program the lights to dim when there is more natural light. Just dimming the lights by 50 percent will reduce the cost of your lighting by 50 percent. And, smart lighting can reduce your overall energy costs by as much as 30 percent. If you have a large energy bill, these savings could be substantial.

A Smart Thermostat

If you are still using an old thermostat or programmable thermostat for your building, you will find that investing in a smart thermostat can do much more than just adjust the temperature. For example, it can tell when people are in the building or not and adjust the temperature accordingly.

A smart thermostat adapts and learns from the behaviors in your building. It will automatically adjust the temperature in your space, so that it doesn’t engage the heating or cooling system every time you change the temperature. This is a huge money saver. When you change the temperature manually, the heating and cooling system has to fire up each time, which wastes a lot of energy.

A smart thermostat is another easy way to add smart technology to your office or retail space. If you combine a smart thermostat with an energy-efficient heating and cooling system, you will see immediate money-saving benefits.

Smart Security Cameras

Every business owner wants their office or retail location to be safe and secure. Smart security cameras are an excellent way to keep your business secure. Unlike other security systems, a smart security system does more than just monitor your property. The cameras can be viewed from anywhere. You can check in on your location from anywhere right from your smartphone.

A smart security system allows you to monitor your business remotely. This way you can take immediate action if there is an emergency. If there is a break-in, the system will alert you and can take high-resolution photos of any intruders. You will have peace of mind knowing you can remotely view cameras inside and outside of your building to keep an eye on the situation until police or emergency crews arrive.

Intelligent Meetings and Conferences

As more businesses embrace remote and hybrid workforces, video conferencing has become a must-have for many companies. It allows people to participate in meetings regardless of their location, and makes meetings more convenient for everyone. Companies can make their meetings more effective and productive with an intelligent video conferencing system. You don’t want to waste time trying to get a meeting started with technology that’s difficult to use.

Beyond 1, a leader in intelligent video conferencing is now part of Creston. They have designed cutting edge tools that allow for more realistic video conferencing. Their solutions are much more advanced than other video conferencing systems like Zoom or Google Meet. Their intelligent conferencing uses multi-camera technology to automatically focus on the person speaking, which makes it easier to follow the conversation.

Even when a speaker is moving around, the cameras will focus on them. This system is remarkable at keeping track of the conversation. It makes participants feel like they are in the room, even if they are participating remotely. This is an innovative solution that will make your business stand out from your competition.

Are You Ready to Add Smart Technology to Your Business?

If you would like to add smart technology to your business, our team is ready to help you get started. Whether you’re looking for a smarter lighting system, security system, or video conferencing, we can design a custom system built around your needs. Contact us today at (770) 317-7016 to find out how smart technology can improve your business.

Millennials Love Smart Homes: Here’s Why

Even bigger than the baby boomer generation, millennials are grown up now and buying homes. Many of them are buying smart homes. These young adults love smart homes, but you might be surprised about some of the reasons why. When it comes to home ownership, they aren’t like the previous generations. They want homes and lifestyles that reflect their values. This is one reason they are willing to spend a little more for a smart home. We’re going to discuss the reasons why millennials love smart homes and what they are looking for in a home.

Millennials grew up around technology

Millennials are a generation that was raised on the internet. They’re always connected, constantly texting, sharing videos and are digital natives Unlike their parents’ generation, they never experienced a world without rapid technological change. For millennials change and technological advancements are normal.

They are used to seeing a new brand of technology each year. Naturally, they want to invest in the latest and greatest technology — not just the latest iPhone. They want their home to be as advanced as their smartphone. This is just one reason they love smart homes.

Millennials care about the environment and sustainability

Millennials have a completely different mindset than previous generations. They are aware and passionate about climate change, reducing our carbon footprint, and our reliance on fossil fuels. They embrace new technology and energy efficiency. Millennials and Gen Z are charging the way in the market for sustainable products and services. Since a home is their largest investment, they are looking for homes that are smarter, energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

Unlike baby boomers and Gen X, millennials have been slower to buy their first home. The Covid pandemic, student debt, and the housing market has made buying a home more challenging for millennials. Because of this, they want to make sure that when they do buy their first home, they get the best value for their money. For them, a smart home is an investment in their future.

What millennials want most in a smart home

Smart home features that are popular with millennials include voice control, remote access to their home, and energy-saving systems. They love everything from smart thermostats to smart lighting, and smart watering systems.

Smart Thermostat

Millennials must-haves include a smart thermostat. They want the ability to use voice commands and operate their thermostat remotely. They also like advanced features such as a thermostat that automatically adjusts the temperature based on their habits or how much energy they are using. They are interested in energy efficiency and the long-term savings you get by using a smart thermostat.

Smart Lighting

Smart home lighting is incredibly popular and is sought after by everyone, not just millennials. With smart lighting, you can use voice commands, schedule lights, and even control your lights remotely. And smart lighting can save energy too, which appeals to millennials. With smart home lighting you can schedule your lights to turn on and off automatically, adjust interior or exterior lights, and do much more.

Smart speakers

Another smart home category that millennials love is entertainment. These days, almost everyone has a smart TV and smart speakers. In fact, 25 percent of Americans already have smart speakers in their home. However, millennials want more than standalone speakers. They want built-in wireless speakers and a sound system that they can control with voice commands or through a smart control panel.

A fully integrated smart home

The millennial generation is looking for the whole package when it comes to smart homes. They realize that in the future, smart homes will be the standard. They are willing to pay the upfront cost to have a truly smart home.

With smart home systems like Control 4, anyone can have a fully-integrated smart home. Control 4 is a leader in smart home technology.Thousands of brands and smart devices can be integrated into a Control 4 system. Control 4 is perfect for younger millennials with a limited budget, who might want to add smart features to their home and have the ability to scale over time.

If you’re interested in learning more about a Control4 smart home system, give us a call at (678) 392-2363. We can help you design a customized smart home system tailored around your needs and budget.

Improve Your Productivity with a Smart Home Office

In the past most people had to be in their company’s office to do their job. Only a small percentage of Americans were able to work from home. The Covid pandemic changed all that. Now almost 60 percent of U.S. workers say they can do their work from home. And, more companies have shifted their workforce to remote work or hybrid work. This has led to more consumers investing in better and smarter home offices.

If you are one the millions of Americans who now work from home, you already know about all the perks. However, you may have discovered some disadvantages such as slower internet, more distractions, and a need for better computer and video conferencing options. There are a ton of ways to improve your productivity with a smart home office. Here are a few ideas for creating the best smart home office.

1. First things first, reliable high-speed internet is a must-have!

Everyone loves the idea of working from home, but there are a few things you may take for granted when you do. When you work in a corporate office, you may have gotten used to your company’s high-speed internet. Business plans generally provide internet speed that’s as much as five times faster than you can get with a personal internet plan. This may not seem like a big deal when you’re streaming movies or surfing the web, but if you need to upload large media files or presentations, you will quickly discover just how inadequate your home’s wifi network is.

If you’re not a networking professional, your first thought might be to upgrade to a business internet plan. While this may give you more speed, there’s more to a fast, consistent network than just having a high-speed internet plan.

If your wifi network isn’t professionally set up, you may still have issues with a splotchy or slow internet connection. This is especially true if you live in a large house, or your office isn’t located close to your router. If you want the fastest speed for uploads and downloads, it’s best to have a professional come out and configure your network for you. A professional installer can also make sure your network is secure.

2. Your lighting matters more than you might think.

If you’re trying to make improvements to your home office, the lighting may not be your first priority. But, great lighting is essential for a smart home office. Even if you have the best ergonomically designed desk, office chair, keyboard, and mouse, that won’t make up for bad lighting. According to research by J Environ Public Health, inadequate lighting can lead to anxiety, fatigue, lethargy, headaches, eyestrain, migraine, nausea, back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, poor concentration or lack of mental alertness, and daytime sleepiness.

If your office has windows, you can optimize the lighting by opening the blinds and moving your desk closer to the window. But, an even better option is installing a smart lighting system. Not only will it improve the lighting, but it will also make your home office more efficient and you more productive.

You might also consider smart blinds. Motion sensors and a smart home automation system like Control4 can automate your home office for the best lighting. You can use smart home scenes to create the perfect morning routine, such as automatically opening the blinds and turning on the lights when you enter your office. And at night, your blinds and lighting can be programmed to close and turn off automatically.

3. Add smart speakers to make your office even better!

If you do a lot of video conferencing, the right set up is a must. If you handle any type of video conferencing like Zoom meetings, client-intake meetings, or company conferences, having the right set up is important. A noise-canceling headset with a built in microphone will make your sound quality better so that everyone can hear and understand you.

If you want an even better sound system for your conferencing or listening to music, adding smart speakers will make your home office more enjoyable. One of the perks of working from home is that you can blast your favorite music while you work — if you want to. Plus, music boosts productivity and energy, which are two things you need a lot of if you work from home.

These are a few ways to improve your productivity with a smart home office. If you’re ready to find out more about home automation or designing a smart home office, call us today at (678) 392-2363 to learn more.

Control 4 4Sight: What Is It and Do You Need It?

If you’re thinking about adding smart home technology to your home, you’re not alone. There are so many reasons to make your home smarter. Smart home technology adds convenience, security, and energy savings to your home. You can automate just about anything with a smart home system.

A smart home operating system like Control4 allows you to control nearly every device and system in your house such as your lights, thermostat, and sound systems. This isn’t like buying a bunch of different smart devices. It is a smart home operating system that connects nearly every device in your home to one easy-to-use interface.

Control4 works with thousands of brands and devices, so you can use it to operate a large number of products in your home — and add virtually any smart home feature you can think of.

While Control4 is incredibly easy to use, even for the people who aren’t tech savvy, because it’s a professionally installed system, there are a few limitations. Your installer will create most of the home automation features for you, so If you want to add a new feature or customize an existing one, it can be inconvenient. This is where Control4’s 4 Sight comes in.

What is Control4 4 Sight?

4 Sight is a subscription feature that allows you to get more out of your Control4 system. It includes a ton of extra features including remote access, voice integration, When>>Then personalization, Intercom Anywhere, and more. This yearly subscription allows you to personalize your smart home system without having to call your installer. Let’s go over some of the additional features you get with 4Sight.

Remote access

With Control4, you can manage your home from your smartphone or tablet. You can check on the status of locks, check cameras, control your lighting, sound system, thermostat, or other connected devices while you’re at home. But, what if you want to operate your smart home when you’re not in it? 4Sight allows you to operate and control your home automation remotely. You can check the status of your door locks, view your cameras, or operate your lights, music, and more – all conveniently from your smartphone.

Adds the ability to use Voice Control

Voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Home are very useful additions to any smart home. These virtual assistants can control your lights, temperature, and smart home scenes. They make it quite easy to turn on lights, raise the temperature, or close the garage door, all with a simple voice command. With 4Sight you can use Josh, Amazon Alexa, or Google Assistant with your Control4 system.

WHEN >> THEN Personalization

One of the advantages of a Control4 system is that it is installed by expert professionals. They will set all of your automation up for you and make sure everything functions properly in your home. After your Control4 system is installed, you can use 4Sight to add new features or make changes to existing features. When>>Then personalization is available to you with a 4Sight subscription.

With When>>Then you can personalize your smart home without having to call your installer. Here’s a quick rundown of how it works. With your subscription you can visit the When>then personalization page to access a library of “if/then” options. “When” options correspond with “Then” actions. For example, “when it’s 9pm”, then ‘lock” the door.

Intercom Anywhere

A smart home allows you to see who is at your door and speak to them through an intercom system and a smart doorbell.. Intercom Anywhere lets you do this from anywhere. You can use your smart video doorbell wherever you are. Would you like to check who is at the door? Or use your intercom remotely? With 4Sight’s Intercom Anywhere, you can unlock the door and let guests enter, and then lock the door again once they leave. Intercom Anywhere lets you do this, and so much more.

Do you need a 4Sight Subscription?

You can use all of the features of Control4 without having a subscription to 4Sight. However, if you want to be able to operate your home remotely — a major perk of having a smart home – then you definitely need 4Sight. Priced at $100 per year, it’s well worth it.

Are you ready to make your home smarter? If you’re interested in learning more about a Control4 smart home system, give us a call at (678) 392-2363. We can help you design a customized smart home system tailored around your needs and budget.

Outdoor Patio TV Ideas: Transform Your Patio with an Outdoor TV

Are you getting the most out of your outdoor space? Improvements in technology have made it possible to watch TV and entertain guests outside, and not just inside the home. With an outdoor TV, you can turn your patio into a place to entertain friends and family. So, your guests can enjoy BBQs, sunshine, the scenery, and watch TV all at the same time.

A big screen TV with surround sound can turn your patio into an outdoor home theater. However, if you’re looking for outdoor patio TV ideas, you have to think beyond just furniture and an ordinary television. These ideas will help you create the ultimate entertainment space outdoors!

Transform your patio with the right outdoor TV

You can’t just take an indoor TV outside. It’s not weatherproof and can’t withstand the sun, heat, or rain. But, a normal TV won’t give you the best picture either. If you want to create a great outdoor experience, you need more than just a decked-out patio and a television. You need a television designed for outdoor use.

Sunbrite is a top-rated television that’s designed for outdoor use. It’s a great choice for any outdoor patio because of its affordability, 4K HDR picture, and durability. Sunbrite offers three series, each engineered to be used in different conditions. Their Veranda Series is designed to be used in the shade and can handle rain, dust, insects, humidity, and extreme temperatures. The Signature Series can be used in partial sun and the Pro Series can be used in full sunlight. All of Sunbrite’s TVs are designed to handle any weather condition.

Add outdoor speakers to get the best surround sound outdoors

If you want to create a home cinema experience outdoors, adding outdoor speakers to your patio is an excellent option. When you watch TV outside, seeing the television is important, but if you can’t hear it, it’s not going to be a great experience. Outdoor noise like kids playing, neighbors having parties and road traffic can be distracting. Adding outdoor smart speakers gives you full control over your music and sound. Your guests can hear the game or movie no matter where they are sitting.

If you want to listen to music or TV outside, Origin Outdoor speakers are the perfect addition to your patio. These speakers are designed to look great in any environment and blend with your landscaping. Instead of disappointing audio, your backyard will get concert-quality sound. If you love entertaining outdoors, these smart and stylish speakers will make you feel like your favorite performers are right there with you.

Top it off with smart outdoor lighting

Lighting is an incredibly important part of your outdoor decor. If you plan to entertain at night, outdoor lighting will make all the difference. Proper outdoor lighting provides more safety and security, too. Consider adding smart security lights, or in-ground path lights or bollard lights to highlight your landscaping or patio decor. Placing the right types of lights around your patio area will create an amazing effect and make night-time entertaining more enjoyable.

A smart lighting system can help you design the perfect patio entertaining space. Imagine walking out to your patio and all the lights coming on automatically. You can automate pretty much any device with a Control4 smart home system, including your outdoor lights, speakers, and television. Want to create a spectacular setting? Automate your path lights to illuminate the path as your guests walk to their seats.. You can even control the lights, music, and television all from your smartphone.

Do you love these outdoor patio TV ideas?

We can professionally install a Sunbrite TV, so you have the best television watching experience. And if you want to add Control4 automation to your patio, we can handle that too! No matter how small or large your project, we can help you transform your outdoor patio into an entertaining paradise. Contact us today at (678) 392-2363. to discover all the options in outdoor televisions, speakers and entertainment.

Smart HVAC Vents are a Smart Idea

If you’re like many Americans who are interested in saving money and technology, you may have invested in a smart thermostat. Even if you aren’t using one now, you’ve probably heard of them. While most people know about smart thermostats, not everyone has heard about smart HVAC vents. What are smart HVAC vents and are they a smart investment?

If you’ve purchased a smart thermostat, it makes sense to continue upgrading your home automation. One way to do this is by installing smart vents for your HVAC system. Before you do this, however, it’s important to understand what they are, what they do, and all the advantages (and disadvantages) of smart vents.

What are Smart HVAC Vents?

Most people don’t think about the air vents in their homes, but those vents are what control the airflow in your home.  With a traditional ventilation system, in order to open or close a vent, you have to get up and open or close vents manually. This is inconvenient and most people don’t routinely do this. However, if you don’t need to heat or cool a certain area of the home, closing the vent can save energy and money.

Additionally, having greater control over the airflow in your home can give you more control over the climate of your home, allowing you to heat or cool your home more evenly without cold or hot spots.

Typical HVAC systems are designed to regulate the temperature of your whole house, not a single room. Airflow is one way your heating and cooling system regulates the temperature of your house.

Smart thermostats, while responsive, do not control the airflow in the home at all. Generally, they adjust the temperature throughout the whole house, not in individual rooms. The best way to have complete control of the temperature and airflow in your house is to install a smart ventilation system.

Smart Vents Make a Smart HVAC Automation Smarter

A smart thermostat paired with smart HVAC vents gives you complete control of the temperature in each room of your house. You can adjust the temperature in a single room, without altering the temperature of any other room by controlling the airflow. This is useful for rooms that are infrequently used, such as an extra guest room. You can save energy by not heating or cooling those rooms, without having to manually open or close the vents.

If you’ve ever tried to heat or cool a two-story home, you know how difficult it can be to get the temperature even throughout the house.  In order to get the bottom floor comfortable, the top floor might feel like an oven. Smart vents can help with this. They not only make your home more comfortable, but they are also much more energy-efficient.

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Smart HVAC vents?

-Smart vents are generally affordable and easy to install.
-You do not have to do a complete overhaul of your home’s air vents to take advantage of smart HVAC vents.  You can install smart vents in one or two rooms at a time.
-When integrated with sensors they can be programmed to automatically turn off or on when nobody is in the room.
-You can control your vents with an app or voice control.
-They integrate with other smart home technology.
-They allow your HVAC system to heat and cool your home more evenly. No more hot spots or cold spots.-They provide more energy savings than a smart thermostat alone.

Disadvantages of Smart HVAC Vents

-In order to use smart HVAC vents to work, you must purchase a separate smart thermostat. The thermostat works with both the smart vents and your home’s existing thermostat.

-An HVAC system using two thermostats can potentially cause problems. For example, if you close off all the vents in your home, but continue forcing air through the system, it can potentially damage your HVAC system.

-The motors that control the HVAC vents take up space which can sometimes cause reduced airflow.

Overall, installing smart HVAC vents is a smart idea. Their affordable, easy to implement, and make a great addition to your smart HVAC automation. If you’re just getting started with smart home technology or automation, Intuitive AV is here to help with any questions you may have. We can answer any question you have, whether it be about installing a smart thermostat or designing a fully-automated home.

5 Smart Home Features Everybody Wants

A smart home might make your home the coolest on the block, but being cool isn’t what most people are looking for in a smart home. There are a lot of smart home features that people want right now, but the main features they’re looking for are home security, efficiency, and ease of use. There are many trends happening in the smart home industry right now, but these are the main features that everybody wants!
Smart home security

Consumers want a smart home security system that is responsive. They want the best automation in their homes and a system that does more than just sound an alarm when an emergency happens. Advanced smart home security systems are the most sought-after smart home feature that everyone wants. Traditional home security systems are just too simplistic.

People want to know their home is safe, but they also want to be able to monitor it remotely. Security systems can send real-time notifications to a homeowner’s phone, and allow them to take action from afar. They can see who’s at the door before they open it, or even see if there’s a fire in the kitchen when they’re at work. An “integrated” smart home alarm system can also take things a step further and provide additional security by turing on flood lights or opening an access gate in the event of an emergency.

Built-in Wifi

Newly constructed homes are being wired for smart home integrations. These homes are called Wi-Fi-certified homes. These homes are built to accommodate a fully integrated smart home system. This means you can connect to the internet from every room in your home. While mesh networks help you get a wireless signal in every room, a Wi-Fi-certified home takes things further by hard wiring the internet connection into the house.

Homebuilders anticipate the direction the smart home industry is going in, where every home is a smart home. Wi-Fi is becoming just as important to a home as its electrical and plumbing systems. New homes will have the infrastructure needed to run numerous smart appliances and smart devices at once because the wiring is built-in. By hard wiring every area of the home, people can use any wireless device such as smart TVs or gaming systems without affecting the rest of the family’s internet connection.

Remote access

One key feature everybody wants in a smart home is remote access. This, and the ability to use voice commands within the home are two of the most desired smart home features. Everyone wants to be able to control all of their home’s smart devices by using a simple touch screen or voice command. But they want to be able to control their home both when they are in it and when they are away from home.

For example, they want to be able to check their homes while they are on vacation or to change the temperature on their way home from work. They are looking for seamless remote access from anywhere. They are looking for a way to always be connected, whether it’s to change the temperature in their house or see what is happening at home.

Smart Thermostat

Pretty soon everyone will be using a smart thermostat. There are numerous advantages to using a smart thermostat including the fact that they can be controlled by voice commands and operated remotely. But, they do more than that. A smart thermostat truly is smart. It learns from the surroundings and automatically adjusts the temperature in the house accordingly.

People love their smart home thermostats because they can be voice-controlled. But the main reason people choose them is that they are energy efficient. In time, traditional thermostats will likely become obsolete, since smart home thermostats allow you to heat or cool your home in the most efficient way.

Smart Lighting

Imagine turning off your lights from the comfort of your couch. It’s pretty cool. A smart home feature everybody wants is the ability to control your home lighting system from one app. Whether it’s dimming the lights before a dinner party or turning the porch light off automatically at night, people love smart lighting systems.

Smart lighting can help homeowners save energy and be more comfortable in their homes. You can schedule lights to turn on and off automatically and adjust exterior lights to suit the mood you want to create. You can also adjust your window blinds and exterior lights to control the ambiance and energy use in your home.

While smart homes of today have so many incredible features, these are the smart home features everybody wants! Of course, as smart home technology improves, people may discover other interesting features they want in a smart home.