Innehållsförteckning för Winter 2021 från Residential Tech Today

I don’t know what this year’s experience has been like for you, but for me it’s been a confusing, fast-moving rollercoaster of events. We have turned to the internet for work, social interaction, reassurance, entertainment, and often just to occupy our minds with anything that relieves us from the nagging worry of ongoing crisis and all it entails. As a result, we have placed ourselves on a quick-paced treadmill on a continuous loop. Our survival depends on our ability to keep up with its pace. People often choose one of three paths when faced with difficult circumstances: freeze, fight, or flight. For the first time in my life, I’ve seen many attempting a combination of all three to try to carve out some semblance of control. This is when leaders…

With a Harvard Business School, Wall Street, and Silicon Valley background, Audio Advice CEO Scott Newnam came to the home technology integration business later than most, but with no less passion or dedication. He has been instrumental in his company’s successful blend of brick-and-mortar and e-commerce retail success in Raleigh and Charlotte, NC. Most recently, he was instrumental in the launch of the 42-year-old company’s online home theater design tool, which is free for consumers and professionals anywhere to use. The interactive 3D design tool can model an acoustically correct home theater system, including speakers, TV or projector, and seating, for an optimal listening and viewing experience in the home. Built using complex algebraic algorithms, the patent-pending tool enables users to set their room dimensions and then answer key questions…

As the old saying goes, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Thanks to Coastal Source’s Franco D’Ascanio, Chris Marshall, and Tim Painter, I experienced Coastal Source outdoor lighting and sound front to back at my house. Coastal Source products are at the more expensive end of outdoor lighting and audio, but you get what you pay for. D’Ascanio, Coastal Source’s president, suggested I begin my journey through the “CS|DS” Design Service on their dealer website. Livewire (my custom installation business) has been a Coastal Source dealer for a few years, but this was my first time personally dealing with anything outdoor lighting related. The CS|DS process began with an easy online form asking me a few questions about the property and allowing me to upload photos. This…

From penniless father to world-class wrestler, from a lover of film to larger-than-life movie star, Dave Bautista has put in the work. He’s also a student of the craft, wants to act alongside the industry’s best, and loves to tell a story through performance. He wasn’t always this big though. Bautista was a shy, gangly kid growing up on the streets. Since, he’s had to overcome an introverted personality and the financial hardships of a young family to get his start. For the last two decades, Bautista has enjoyed the life of a six-time WWE wrestling champion, roles in films like Riddick, Blade Runner 2049, and the Guardians of the Galaxy movie franchise as Drax. While the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed a long list of movie premieres and episodes from…

2020 is over. And before you get misty-eyed while reflecting on all the amazing things that happened this year, it’s also important to know what we learned in the first 365 days of the ‘20s. So cuddle up with some of that triple-ply toilet paper you hoarded and pour yourself a cool glass of hand sanitizer, it’s time we head down memory lane. The Film Industry is in Flux. Like many other businesses, the film industry saw tremendous changes this year. Big hits were released on-demand. Production schedules were delayed. And due to so few films released in theaters, Sonic the Hedgehog is the Best Picture frontrunner by default, despite criticisms of its video game origins and neoconservative message. Additionally, 2020 is the first year since 2009 where Marvel Studios…

Eero was among the first companies to offer mesh Wi-Fi systems to consumers. Before their launch in 2017, mesh was typically expensive and used by organizations in large spaces, like offices. A mesh system is different from a traditional Wi-Fi router in that it uses multiple nodes or access points spread throughout the home to provide better coverage than a single router located wherever the broadband connection comes into your house. The Pro 6 mesh Wi-Fi network is eero’s first new product since its acquisition by Amazon, so I was doubly interested to see how this new release would stack up against my circa-2017 eero Pro installation. Because I already had the eero app and an existing network installed, I was curious to see how they were going to handle…

While manufacturers of mass-market voice assistants are making their smart speakers physically larger and positioning them as focal points in a room, the new Josh Nano from Josh. ai has been purpose-built to integrate into its surroundings. Josh.ai is a professionally installed home automation voice control platform with integration capabilities that include smart lighting, shades, music, HVAC, AV, security, and appliances. Far-Field Listening Capabilities Josh.ai worked closely with the architecture, design, and professional installation communities to rethink how voice control should perform in the world’s most luxurious homes. Measuring just 0.1 inches in width and 1.6 inches in diameter, Josh Nano is installed flush on a wall for a discreet voice experience. With an optional paintable cover, Josh Nano becomes practically invisible as part of the home’s interior design. Equipped…

We all hope that 2021 will bring full, widespread availability of vaccines and therapeutics, but even with that Working (or Learning) From Home (WFH) won’t end entirely. Even with medical advances, it will be months before everyone has been vaccinated and the immunity antibodies take hold. Perhaps even more important, many companies, both large and small, have already said WFH is something they will continue, and in turn, the excuse “this is new to me” will no longer justify bad audio, video, or connectivity for web conferences. We Have to Step Up Our WFH Game That is why we need to move to what I’m calling “WFH 2.0,” where you may need to step up your game. To help with that, here are some suggestions as to what you can…

Cyber insurance is a necessity for businesses, but what about homes? TechTarget defines a data breach as “a confirmed incident in which sensitive, confidential, or otherwise protected data has been accessed and/or disclosed in an unauthorized fashion. Data breaches may involve personal health information, personally identifiable information, trade secrets, or intellectual property.” The number of data breaches in businesses has grown from 157 in 2005 to 1,473 in 2019, according to Statista. While the cyber risks to homeowners have some similarities to those of businesses, there are additional risks that are unique to them. For instance: • Cyber Breach. The loss of personal information. According to new research from Parks Associates, 5% of U.S. broadband households annually experience identity theft, which equates to 5.5 million households affected and at least…

Enclave Audio is making it easier for Roku TV VOD streaming service users to connect a wireless surround sound system. Available now to all U.S.-based customers, the company’s Enclave CineHome PRO and CineHome II 5.1 channel wireless surround sound speaker systems are now Roku TV Ready enabled. To be certified Roku TV Ready, products must be tested and certified to work with Roku TV models, offering a smoother setup, easier on-screen access to sound settings, and volume control, all from one remote. When connected to a Roku TV, the Enclave Audio CineHome PRO and CineHome II wireless surround sound systems are automatically identified, offering speaker setup and calibration tools directly on the Roku TV screen using the Roku remote. With a single cable setup, all that’s required to augment the…

For its new HomeWorks wall control keypad, Lutron reimagined every detail, starting with its thin profile, broad range of hand-crafted finishes, and subtle illumination around the buttons. At the heart of the keypad the company calls Alisse is Lutron’s understanding that every detail matters when designing a home and technology’s role should be to enhance the design vision, not distract from it. “The Alisse wall control’s uncompromising approach to aesthetics through its craftsmanship, style, versatility, and harmonious form bring design visions to life in a beautiful way,” said Sam Chambers, senior director of Lutron’s residential business. A Range of Metal Finishes Lutron uses a hand-finishing process to bring out the dimension and hues of the materials used for the keypads and offers a range of signature metal finishes. Each finish…

In the competitive world of video-on-demand (VOD) streaming devices, some of the most notable news this past fall came from Roku, which not only updated its user interface but added a new soundbar to their audio line up and compatibility with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. In addition to catching up with the competition by including Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos with its external streamers for the first time, the newest Roku Ultra device ($99.99) boasts a processor that significantly speeds up program loads – a necessity in today’s marketplace. While the Ultra retains its wired Ethernet connectivity, the reality is that most users will probably connect via Wi-Fi. The new Ultra claims a 50% increase in wireless range, allowing the product to be placed further away from the router/access…

One of my friends shared a whitepaper with me last week that really hit home. He outlined where we’ve been since March 2020 and the beginning of COVID-19 using three phases: Crisis, Interim New Normal, and New Normal. We’ve been working heads-down inside my custom installation business, Livewire, to be proactive and to position us to weather uncertainty in the world. It wasn’t until my buddy outlined his Interim New Normal phase, however, that I realized that we had transitioned out of the Crisis phase, which had us all hunkered down in March, April, and May. I wanted to share what the Interim New Normal (INN) looks like for us and where we see the next six to 24 months shaking out. Crisis Phase: March to May 2020 In the…

In a home theater, the center channel speaker is critical to delivering dialogue, music, and special effects to hear every nuance no matter the source. Atlantic Technology has brought the 8600eC to market, measuring roughly 38 x 14 x 15 inches, and packing a massive D’Appolito/M-T-M array consisting of four 6.5-inch fiberglass woofers with two 5.25-inch fiberglass mid-drivers and an advanced 1-inch aluminum/magnesium dome tweeter internally isolated within their own airtight sub-enclosure. Finish options are high-gloss lacquered Makassar Ebony or luxurious Gloss Piano Black. Crestron’s 70 Series Touch Screens are available in wall-mount and tabletop options, with a sleek design with more screen and less bezel. They are Wi-Fi enabled and are available for both custom-programmed and Crestron Home projects where previous infrastructure requirements may not have been available. A…